The driver and the owner of the vehicle were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kaduna State on four counts of causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without a driving licence and driving without authorisation of the owner, and one count charge of negligent conduct while causing danger to person and property.

The suspects, Nehemiah Adejo and David Adejo, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were however granted bail with the sum of N1 million each.

The defendants were also ordered by the court to produce two sureties each, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and are engaged in legal businesses and present a Bank Verification Number that corresponds with their information.

Consequently, the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Benjamin, adjourned the case till August 24 and 25.

The prosecution counsel had earlier prayed that the court to allow Nehemiah to be remanded, arguing that there is a pending investigation of culpable homicide against him.

But Nehemiah’s Counsel, Aliyu Omachi, argued for bail on the basis that his client was a first time offender and had spent more than 4 weeks in detention.

The late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile was killed in a freak accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna and following the incident, three suspects were subsequently arrested.

The Nigerian Air Force had in line with extant laws handed over the three persons who were involved in the accident that led to the death of Flying Officer Arotile to the Nigeria Police, saying it is a civil case.

Kaduna State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Muhammad Jalige said the case of alleged culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy against the three occupants of the vehicle was still under investigation.

Ibikunle Daramola, air force spokesman gave the name of the man as Nehemiah Adejoh and also disclosed that he and two other civilians were at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna to visit the wife of a squadron leader.

The full statement reads “The Late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, a Squadron Pilot at the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group (405 HCTG) Enugu, attached to the Air Component of Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, having recently completed her Promotion Examinations, was in Kaduna awaiting deployment for her next assignment. During this period, she stayed with her sister, Mrs Damilola Adegboye, at Sabo Area in Kaduna, visiting the NAF Base whenever necessary. On 14 July 2020 at about 10.55 am, Late Flying Officer Arotile received a phone call from her colleague, Flying Officer Perry Karimo, a fellow helicopter pilot from the 405 HCTG, who wanted to discuss arrangements for their return to Enugu, requesting that she comes to the Base so that they could work out the modalities. Subsequently, at about 10.58 am, the Late Arotile placed a call through to Squadron Leader Diepiriye Batubo, the Group Operations Officer (GOO) of 405 HCTG, who was in Minna at the time, to clarify issues regarding her deployment. It must be highlighted that the call FROM Flying Officer Karimo as well as the one TO the Squadron Leader Batubo both took place before 11.00 am, over 5 hours before the incident which led to her death. Flying Officer Arotile was later conveyed from Sabo to the NAF Base Kaduna by her sister, Mrs Adegboye, where the Deceased dropped her phone for charging at a house in the Instructor Pilots’ Quarters belonging to Squadron Leader Alfa Ekele. Her elder sister later dropped her off at the Base Mammy Market at about 4.00 pm, where she proceeded to photocopy and laminate some documents. It was while she was returning from the Mammy Market at about 4.30 pm that 3 of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna; Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun, drove past her in a Kia Sorento SUV, with Registration Number AZ 478 MKA.  It is noteworthy that Messrs Adejoh, Folorunsho and Gbayegun are all civilians who live outside NAF Base Kaduna, but were on their way to visit one Mrs Chioma Ugwu, wife of Squadron Leader Chukwuemeka Ugwu, who lives at Ekagbo Quarters on the Base. Upon recognising their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, Mr Adejoh, who was driving, reversed the vehicle, ostensibly in an attempt to quickly meet up with the Deceased, who was walking in the opposite direction. In the process, the vehicle struck Flying Officer Arotile from the rear, knocking her down with significant force and causing her to hit her head on the pavement. The vehicle then ran over parts of her body as it veered off the road beyond the kerb and onto the pavement, causing her further injuries. Flying Officer Arotile was subsequently rushed to the 461 NAF Hospital Kaduna for treatment, while Mr Folorunsho (one of the occupants of the vehicle) who is also an Accident & Emergency Nurse at the St Gerard Catholic Hospital Kaduna, administered First Aid. Flying Officer Arotile was confirmed dead by the On-Call Doctor at the 461 NAF Hospital at about 4.45 pm on 14 July 2020, as a result of the head injuries. The trio of Messrs Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and Festus Gbayegun were immediately detained at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services Group Kaduna as investigations began. They were subjected to Toxicology Tests at the 461 NAF Hospital but no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found in their systems. It was however discovered that the driver of the vehicle, Mr Nehemiah Adejo, did not have a valid driver’s license. Having carefully considered the foregoing, the preliminary investigation concluded that: The death of Flying Officer Arotile was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and significant bleeding resulting from being struck by the vehicle”

Kafayat Sanni and Tolulope Arotile were decorated as the Nigerian Air Force’s first female combat pilot and first female helicopter pilot respectively after completing their training courses in the US and South Africa.

Speaking at the event in which the female military officers were decorated alongside 11 others on Tuesday October 15, the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar said it was a milestone achievement in the 55-year history of the force.

He said “I am particularly happy because out of the 13 pilots to be winged are two female regular combatant officers. They are not only female officers but outstanding aviators. While one of the two pilots is the first female fighter pilot in the 55 years history of the NAF, the second one is the first female combat helicopter pilot. The first female fighter pilot trained at the United States Air Force following an excellent performance during her initial flying training course at 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna. While the second graduated from Starlite International Training Academy. They both performed excellently well during their training.”