No need for autopsy on Arotile – NAF

…NAF insists that the nation’s first female combat helicopter pilot died of head injuries sustained from auto crash

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has said there was no need for post-mortem to be carried out on Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile as cause of her death was known.

The spokesman for the NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola disclosed further that the family of the late nation’s first female combat helicopter pilot did not demand for autopsy, putting the grief behind them.

This was revealed when Daramola was speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday.

He said, “On the issue of autopsy or otherwise that would have been initiated by the family but based on discussions with them and the fact that witnesses were there at the time she was taken to the Nigerian Air Force hospital in Kaduna, there were no doubts as to the cause of death which was head injury as a result of blunt force trauma caused by the vehicle hitting her from the rear.

“So, in consultation with her family, her father, Akintunde Arotile, said they wanted closure on this matter and that he was comfortable with the Nigerian Air Force’s investigation which of course is also being transferred to the police.

Read also: Late Tolulope Arotile: 5 things you didn’t know about Nigeria’s first-ever female combat pilot

“Autopsy was not done because it wasn’t requested, the cause of death was already known based on the investigation and how she was taken to the hospital and the confirmation was made. There were no doubts in that regard and there was no request from the family for that specifically. No autopsy was done.”

Based on the report from the Air Force, 25-year old Arotile, met her demise at the NAF base, Kaduna, after being hit by a car driven by her former classmate with two others onboard.

Daramola also disclosed, as against the claims by her lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), that the driver of the car that hit the deceased, Nehemiah Adejoh, was aged 24 and not 36 who also happened to be the junior to late Arotile in the Nigerian Air Force Secondary School.