Residents and the Igbokoda monarch have complained of a foul smell from the river where the NAF plane went down nine days ago, with remains still being recovered
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, after complaints about a strong stench from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by the 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 said the intervention was necessary because the river is a major source of livelihood for Igbokoda and neighbouring communities.
What Aiyedatiwa ordered after the NAF crash
Aiyedatiwa directed the Ilaje Local Government Area to arrange water tankers to supply potable water to residents if the river is found severely polluted and unsuitable for use. The arrangement, the statement said, will stay in place “pending a lasting intervention” to address the pollution.
The governor also directed the Ministries of Health and Environment to distribute nose masks and other essential health kits to protect residents from potential health hazards.
The statement said he reiterated the state government’s commitment to supporting the NAF in its ongoing evacuation efforts and to ensuring the welfare and safety of residents of the affected community.
Residents and monarch raise alarm over the crash site
The Igbokoda monarch, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has urged the Federal and Ondo State governments to speed up recovery efforts and address suspected contamination from decomposing human remains and spilt aviation fuel.
“The odour is extremely offensive,” he said, adding that some bodies had not been recovered. He said the pollution had restricted residents’ access to clean water for domestic use, including cooking. Premium Times reports that the river is the community’s source of water.
Aiyedatiwa had earlier disclosed, during a visit to the site on 7 October, that aviation fuel was flowing into the surrounding water.
Recovery after the NAF crash
The NAF ATR-42, registration NAF 931, crashed on 5 October into a swampy area of Igbokoda while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos. All 25 people on board, five crew members and 20 passengers, died.
Aiyedatiwa said on his site visit that the main body of the aircraft was believed to be deeply submerged. The swampy terrain and the aircraft’s submersion have complicated recovery. The state government deployed amphibious swamp machines to support the Navy, Air Force, emergency agencies and local divers in reaching the site.
The NAF has intensified search and recovery efforts and set up a 12-member board of inquiry to investigate the circumstances of the crash. The Federal Government had earlier ordered an investigation.
