The first Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the fumigation of the Igbokoda River and the distribution of nose masks and other health kits to residents following complaints about the offensive stench from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.
The directive followed growing concerns over possible environmental pollution and health risks as recovery operations continue at the crash site in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Wednesday, signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, the governor directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to begin extensive fumigation of the river to prevent a possible outbreak of diseases.
The statement read, “Following complaints by residents of Igbokoda over the strong stench emanating from the river where the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed last week, Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the river.”
It added that the intervention was necessary because the river served as a major source of livelihood for residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities.
Aiyedatiwa also directed the Ilaje Local Government Area to arrange water tankers to supply potable water to residents if the river was found to be severely polluted and unsuitable for use.
“The arrangement is to remain in place pending a lasting intervention to address the pollution,” the statement added.
The governor further directed the Ministries of Health and Environment to distribute nose masks and other essential health kits to residents to protect them from potential health hazards.
The statement said, “The governor reiterated the state government’s commitment to providing all necessary support to the Nigerian Air Force in its ongoing evacuation efforts, as well as ensuring the welfare and safety of residents of the affected community.”
PUNCH Online reports that the crash occurred on October 5, when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, registration number NAF 931, crashed into a swampy area of Igbokoda during a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos. The incident claimed the lives of all 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.
Nine days after the incident, the recovery of the victims’ remains and the aircraft wreckage remained a major concern, with residents reporting an increasingly offensive smell from the river.
The Igbokoda monarch, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had called on the Federal and Ondo State governments to expedite recovery efforts and address suspected contamination from decomposing human remains and spilt aviation fuel.
The recovery operation has been complicated by the swampy terrain and the aircraft’s submersion in the water. Following the crash, the state government deployed amphibious swamp machines to support the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, emergency response agencies and local divers in accessing the site and retrieving the wreckage and victims’ remains.
The Nigerian Air Force has also intensified search and recovery efforts and constituted a 12-member board of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Federal Government had earlier ordered an investigation into the incident.