Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has directed the fumigation of Igbokoda River and the provision of nose masks and other health supplies to residents following complaints about a foul smell coming from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.
The measures are aimed at addressing residents’ concerns about possible contamination and health risks as recovery operations continue in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, disclosed the governor’s directives in a statement issued on Wednesday. According to the statement, the Ministries of Environment and Health have been instructed to carry out extensive fumigation of the river to reduce the risk of a disease outbreak.
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 noted that the intervention was important because the river supports the livelihoods of residents in Igbokoda and surrounding communities.
The governor has also instructed the Ilaje Local Government Area to make arrangements for water tankers to provide residents with clean drinking water if assessments establish that the river has been seriously contaminated and is no longer safe for use.
“The arrangement is to remain in place pending a lasting intervention to address the pollution,” the statement added.
As part of the response, the Ministries of Health and Environment are expected to distribute nose masks and other essential health kits to residents to help protect them from potential environmental 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.”
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Residents Raise Concerns Over Foul Smell
The aircraft crash occurred on October 5, when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft with registration number NAF 931 went down in a swampy area of Igbokoda during a routine flight from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos.
All 25 people aboard the aircraft, including five crew members and 20 passengers, died in the incident.
Nine days after the crash, the recovery of the victims’ remains and the wreckage had continued to pose challenges, while residents complained that the smell coming from the river was becoming increasingly unbearable.
The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to speed up the recovery operation and address suspected pollution linked to decomposing human remains and spilled aviation fuel.
The difficult terrain has slowed the operation, as the aircraft remains submerged in a swampy section of the river. Accessing the site and retrieving the wreckage and victims’ remains have therefore required specialised equipment and assistance from local divers.
Following the incident, the Ondo State Government deployed amphibious swamp machines to assist the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, emergency response agencies and local divers with access to the crash site.
The Nigerian Air Force has also stepped up search and recovery activities and established a 12-member board of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Federal Government had earlier ordered an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, the state government’s latest directives are intended to address residents’ immediate concerns over the river’s condition while recovery work continues.