Nigerians have taken to various social media platforms to mourn the sudden death of Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, who died at the age of 23.
She died less than a year after she was decorated as the first female combatant helicopter pilot.
Confirming the news, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the flight officer died on Tuesday.
He described Arotile’s death as an “irreparable loss”.
(1/4) I was heart broken when I received the sad news of the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile yesterday in Kaduna. Tolulope, who was winged in October 2019, as the first female @NigAirForce combat helicopter pilot, was one of our shining young stars. pic.twitter.com/ZCjwMy2dwE
— Air Marshal Abubakar (@CAS_AMSadique) July 15, 2020
See social media reactions;
Rest In Peace Tolulope Arotile. This life is too short. This is a big loss to the Nigerian AirForce.
Tolulope is Nigeria's First Female Combat Helicopter pilot and Slayer of Bandits and Terrorists. pic.twitter.com/7wAf9LRuPH
— Dr PamPam | Omo Iya Ologi (@UnclePamilerin) July 15, 2020
Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, died at the age of 23 after sustaining head injuries from a road traffic accident at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base in Kaduna. 💔💔💔
2020, ain’t you done? @MBuhari @NGRSenate must honour this superhero 🦸♀️ pic.twitter.com/9mO21JWKKf
— Osun 1st Son (@taiwoalabiho2) July 15, 2020
RIP, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
Continue to fly among the stars, you lived a purposeful life, you achieved your dreams, you laid the path for other air combat women, your name is written in history. Air warrior!!!
Mehn..I am close to tears 😢😢😢😢 pic.twitter.com/0TmeFj7QJu— Dr. Guendouzi ( The Cerebral Assassin ) (@fimiletoks) July 15, 2020
Someone's daughter…
Someone's sister…
Someone's brother…
Someone's friend…
Someone's partner…
Someone's neighbor…
Someone's role model…Rip Tolu… The Air Force is gonna miss you. Nigeria is gonna miss you…
Rest in peace 🙏♥️ pic.twitter.com/hO2J6JVaLE
— Olamide (@or_lamide1) July 15, 2020
RIP Fahim Saleh 💔
RIP Tolu Arotile 💔2020 is such a rough year !!!
— Biyi 🔥 (@BiyiThePlug) July 15, 2020
Can 2020 be declared over already😬😓💔
Coming to Twitter to find Rest in peace at the top trend made my heart skip but looking further to find out we lost the first Female Air combat in Nig. and the owner of Gonads is such a huge hit.RIP Tolu! pic.twitter.com/7K13wOd4UT
— Isa Abass Usman (@enitan_12) July 15, 2020
My heart goes out to the family of the first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, who died yesterday after a tragic road accident which happened within the NAF barracks in Kaduna. May God bless her soul. RIP Tolu.😪 pic.twitter.com/RawYyAhlGb
— AJMorgan™ (@ajeromorgan) July 15, 2020
GREAT LOSS TO THE NATION INDEED. RIP TOLU… pic.twitter.com/y9GfqFjTuy
— Niyi Murele (@NMurele) July 15, 2020
🙏🏽
— ‘OF LAGOS’ (@iiam_michi) July 15, 2020
I can still remember how I felt so proud of her seeing her pictures all over the internet last year even though I don't know her personally. The same way i felt happy last year for her is the same way i feel very sad that she's gone.
This is a tough one to swallow. RIP Tolu pic.twitter.com/629G420uws
— Okezie Ifeanyi Praise (@okezie_ifeanyi) July 15, 2020
