Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has directed the state ministries responsible for environment and health to begin extensive fumigation of the river in Igbokoda following complaints from residents about a strong stench coming from the waterway where a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crashed.
The directive is aimed at protecting residents from potential health risks and preventing a possible disease outbreak, as the river serves as an important source of livelihood for people in Igbokoda and surrounding communities.
Aiyedatiwa also instructed the Ilaje Local Government Council to make arrangements for water tankers to supply clean drinking water to residents if assessments establish that the river is severely polluted and unsafe for domestic use.
The measures will remain in place pending a lasting solution to the pollution concerns, according to a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku.
The governor further directed the relevant ministries to distribute nose masks and other essential health supplies to residents to reduce their exposure to possible environmental hazards.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force’s ongoing search and recovery operations while prioritising the safety and welfare of people living in the affected community.
The development follows the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, identified as NAF 931, in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State on October 5, 2026.
The aircraft was reportedly carrying 25 people, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, on a routine flight from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos when the accident occurred.
Search-and-rescue operations were activated after the crash, but the occupants had yet to be located at the time of the report.
In a related development, the Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday constituted a 12-member board of inquiry to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, ordered the continuation of search and recovery operations alongside a comprehensive investigation into the crash.
Air Vice Marshal FO Ankeli was appointed to lead the board, while Air Vice Marshal EOE Ebiowe, who heads the Investigation and Recovery Team, is coordinating the broader response.
The board includes experts in aviation operations, flight safety, piloting, air traffic control, aircraft engineering, maintenance and medical services, alongside representatives of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
According to the NAF, investigators will examine operational, technical, environmental, human and organisational factors that may have contributed to the accident.