Afenifere Demands Inquest Into the Death of Nigeria’s First Female Combat Pilot, Arotile, Rejects Air Force Account of Incidence

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has demanded for an inquest into the untimely death of Nigeria’s first female combat pilot, Tolulope Arotile.

In a statement on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said it would not accept the Nigeria’s Air Force official account of the incident until an inquest is conducted to ascertain the actual cause of her death.

The statement read in part. “Unofficial accounts say she just returned from a combat operation before she was knocked down to death.

“We, therefore, do not accept that her death was an accident until the report of a coroner says how she died and how a supposed attempt to stop and greet could come with a deadly impact.

“We say this against what is known of the infiltration of the forces by sympathizers and agents of Boko Haram.

“We recall the report years back of such agents revealing the routes and timing of movements of our troops to Boko Haram who ambushed them.

“The inquiry should look into all the links of the colleague who killed her and we must know the identity.

“Meanwhile, we sympathize with the grieving family of Tolulope who have been thrown into deep mourning following the killing of their ft daughter not in combat but within the barrack.”