The Nigerian Air Force has said it was in the process of handing over the case of late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile to the police for investigation and prosecution of the prime suspect, Nehemiah Adejoh.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Comm. Ibikunle Daramola, said he did not specify the date for the handover of the case to the police, noting that it would be done soon.
Arotile, 24, Nigeria’s first female combat pilot, was knocked down and killed by Adejoh who was driving a Kia Sorento SUV at the NAF base in Kaduna on July 14.
The driver was reportedly reversing the SUV when it hit Arotile who fell and hit her head on the tarmac.
The car also ran over part of her body after knocking her down.
The driver and the other two occupants of the car, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun, all former schoolmates of the deceased at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna, were taken into custody.
Daramola had said NAF would work with the police to prefer appropriate charges against the culpable person among the vehicle occupants.
But commenting on the case on Monday, the NAF spokesman stated, “We are in the process of handing over the case to the police. In my statement when I briefed the press yesterday (Sunday), I didn’t say we are handing over the case to the police today (Monday). We are in the process of handing over and I will let you know whenever this is done.”
The late pilot who was attached to the Air Component of Operation Gama Aiki in Minna, had just completed her promotion examination and was in Kaduna awaiting deployment for her next assignment before her tragic demise.