11 female officers training to become pilots

11 female officers are training to become pilots, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has revealed.

He said that the training programmes are currently going on both within and outside the country, and said that the Nigerian Air Force is committed to empowering its female officers just as it empowers their male counterparts.

The CAS made this known on Friday when he received federal cabinet members who came to condole with him over the unfortunate demise of Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.

A statement by NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, partly read,

“The CAS noted that Flying Officer Arotile had left her mark in the sands of time which he said proves that when it comes to displaying excellence and adding value to the society, age or gender should not be barriers.

He disclosed that the NAF would, therefore, continue to give equal opportunities to female officers in terms of training, noting that a total of 11 female student pilots were currently undergoing flying training both within and outside Nigeria.”