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Residents of Igbokoda, Ondo State, say human remains and traces of fuel are still being seen in the river after the NAF plane crash, and are demanding government intervention.
Residents of Igbokoda in Ondo State say human remains from the October 5 Nigerian Air Force crash are still being sighted in a nearby river.
They have complained about a persistent stench and visible traces of fuel, calling for the recovery of remains and a clean-up.
The state government says it is working with federal authorities to assess contamination, while disputing claims that residents lack access to drinking water.
Residents of Igbokoda, a riverside community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, say human remains from the Nigerian Air Force plane crash are still being seen in the river more than a week after the accident, and they want the government to step in.
The NAF ATR-42, NAF 931, crashed into a swamp near the Air Force's forward operating base in Igbokoda on 5 October while flying from Benin City to Lagos, killing all 25 people on board, five crew members and 20 passengers. The aircraft is reported to still be submerged in the swamp.
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The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo
The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said the stench from the site has spread into residential areas and has become unbearable. He said some of the victims' remains had not been recovered and were still being sighted in the river, and that traces of fuel were visible on the water some distance from the wreckage.
Residents said the smell has persisted since the crash, even inside homes. One of them, Omogbemi Damilola, said a community still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy should not have to bear more hardship, while another, Oroyo Levy, urged authorities to examine the environmental impact and protect public health.
The monarch asked the government to recover the remaining remains and debris, contain the fuel, start an environmental clean-up and provide safe water for residents while recovery work continues.
Residents also asked the National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency and environmental agencies to act so the aftermath does not lead to waterborne diseases. The disease risk is a fear for now, and none of the reports seen confirm an outbreak.
Ondo's Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the state is working with the Federal Government to assess the public health impact and plan decontamination, and that the area is "surely contaminated." He disputed claims that residents have no drinking water, saying the river is not their usual source and that boreholes are available.
The Air Force has set up a 12-member Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, with Air Vice Marshal Francis Ankeli as president, and a separate Investigation and Recovery Team led by Air Vice Marshal Ebimobo Ebiowe. Representatives of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau sit on the board, and the Chief of the Air Staff has directed sustained search and recovery efforts.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have also called for an audit of the airworthiness of NAF aircraft, and senators asked the Air Force to submit its aircraft maintenance budget records.