By Olukayode Idowu, Defence Correspondent
SUNRISE NEWS, Abuja, July 25, 2020 The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has officially handed the three suspects involved in the incident that led to the death of late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, over to the Nigerian Police.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, who made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
Daramola stated that the suspects – Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun – were handed over to the Police at NAF Base in on Friday.
Late Arotile was the first female combat helicopter pilot in the NAF.
He said that Group Capt. Hadi Ahmed, the Commander 453 Base Services Group (453 BSG), during the handover recalled how an SUV vehicle driven by Adejoh, with the two others as passengers knocked down Arotile.
Ahmed was also quoted as saying that the vehicle knocked down Arotile when she was walking along Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa Road in the NAF Base Kaduna, leading to her eventual death.
He said that NAF would continue to cooperate with the Nigeria Police and provide all necessary support to enable it carry forward the case to its logical conclusion.
It would be recalled that NAF, during a news conference on July 19 gave details of the outcome of its preliminary investigations.
It had informed Nigerians that the three persons involved in the accident would be handed over to the Nigerian Police for further investigation and possible prosecution in line with extant laws.