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The Ondo State Government has ordered the fumigation of the river around the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash site in Igbokoda to address concerns over possible environmental pollution and prevent a potential disease outbreak.
The government also directed the distribution of nose masks and other essential health kits to residents of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area following complaints about a foul odour emanating from the crash site and fears of contamination.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the affected river.
According to the statement, the intervention was aimed at protecting public health in Igbokoda and neighbouring communities, where the river serves as an important source of livelihood for residents.
Aiyedatiwa also directed the Ilaje Local Government to arrange water tankers to supply potable water to residents if assessments establish that the river has been severely polluted and is no longer safe for use.
The arrangement, the statement said, would remain in place pending a lasting solution to the environmental concerns arising from the crash.
Residents report offensive odour
The government’s directive followed complaints from residents and the Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, who called for the urgent removal of human remains from the crash site over fears of environmental contamination.
The monarch expressed concern that decomposing human remains and body parts were still floating in the river, creating an offensive smell that had spread across the community.
“The odour 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,” Odidiomo said.
Residents also reportedly complained that the smell had reached residential buildings, while expressing concern about the safety of the river water and the difficulty of accessing clean water for domestic use.
The concerns have heightened calls for urgent intervention to remove the remaining human remains and determine the extent of possible pollution around the crash site.
Government assesses environmental impact
The Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, had earlier told LEADERSHIP that the government was assessing the environmental and public health implications of the crash to determine the extent of possible contamination and the decontamination measures required.
He said the state government was working with the Federal Government on recovery efforts and conducting a comprehensive assessment of the affected environment.
The assessment is expected to guide decisions on the measures needed to address the concerns raised by residents and protect public health.
The government has not yet provided details of the findings of the environmental assessment or confirmed whether the river has been declared unsafe for domestic use. The proposed water tanker arrangement would depend on the outcome of the assessment.
25 people died in aircraft crash
The NAF ATR-42 aircraft crashed into a swamp near the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda on Monday, October 5, while on a mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos.
All 25 people on board, comprising 20 passengers and five crew members, died in the incident.
The crash has prompted recovery operations and raised concerns among residents about the possible environmental consequences of the incident, particularly the condition of the river and the reported presence of human remains.
The Ondo State Government’s latest directives are intended to address the immediate concerns over sanitation, access to potable water and possible health risks while efforts continue to assess the affected area.
However, the extent of any contamination remains to be established through the ongoing assessment by the relevant authorities.
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