NAF air crash: Igbokoda residents fear health risks, demand urgent environmental clean-up

Residents of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised concerns over possible environmental and public health risks following a foul odor from the site of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.

They called for the recovery of the remaining human remains, an environmental clean-up and the provision of safe drinking water to prevent further hardship in the community.

The residents said the stench had spread to residential areas, expressing fears that decomposing human remains and spilled aviation fuel could contaminate the river.

The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, described the odor as unbearable and attributed it to human remains yet to be recovered from the swamp where the aircraft crashed.

The monarch also expressed concern over possible fuel pollution, saying traces of fuel could be seen on the river some distance from the crash site.

“The odor is extremely offensive. So many parts of the human body are floating around in the river.

“Some of the bodies have not been recovered. They have decomposed, and it is affecting everything,” he said.

Odidiomo said the situation had raised concerns about access to clean water for domestic activities, including cooking.

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He urged the government to remove the remaining human remains and aircraft debris, contain any fuel spillage, and begin environmental remediation to prevent further pollution.

The monarch also appealed for the provision of safe drinking water while recovery operations continued, stressing the need to address the welfare of residents affected by the incident.

A resident, Omogbemi Damola, said the foul odor had persisted since the crash, with the breeze carrying it into residential areas.

“What happened in Igbokoda is a very sad experience. Since the accident, different kinds of unpleasant odors have been carried around by the breeze.

“I live upstairs in a storey building, and I have been perceiving the smell for at least four days now,” she said.

Damola urged the state government to expedite the recovery and removal of the bodies and take measures to control the odour, saying residents should not face further distress following the tragedy.

Another resident, Oroyo Levy, said the stench had heightened concerns about possible air pollution and its health implications for people living in the community.

“We are appealing to the government to act swiftly to contain the odor and prevent it from posing further health risks to people living in the community,” he said.

Levy described the incident as a painful experience for the community and called for urgent intervention to prevent further problems arising from the crash.

He also expressed concern about possible water contamination, noting that more than a week had passed since the incident.

He urged relevant authorities to investigate the environmental impact of the crash and take measures to protect public health.

The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, which was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos, crashed into a swamp near the Nigerian Air Force Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda on Monday, October 5.

All 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, died in the incident. The aircraft became submerged in the swamp, prompting search and recovery operations involving military personnel and other emergency agencies.