Ondo Governor Orders Fumigation of Igbokoda River After Fatal NAF Crash

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 an offensive stench from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash.

The directive comes amid growing concerns about possible environmental pollution and health risks as recovery operations continue in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and 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 help prevent a possible disease outbreak.

The statement said the intervention was necessary because the river serves as an important 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 if assessments establish that the river is severely polluted and unsuitable for use.

The arrangement, according to the statement, will remain in place pending a lasting solution to the pollution concerns.

The governor further instructed the Ministries of Health and Environment to distribute nose masks and other essential health kits to residents as a precaution against potential health hazards.

He also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force’s ongoing recovery efforts and protecting the welfare and safety of people in the affected community.

The 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 mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos. All 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, were reported killed.

Nine days after the incident, the recovery of victims’ remains and the aircraft wreckage remained a major concern, with residents reporting an increasingly offensive smell from the river.

The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had called on the Federal and Ondo State governments to accelerate recovery operations and address suspected contamination involving decomposing human remains and spilled aviation fuel.

The swampy terrain and the aircraft’s submersion in the water have complicated the operation. Following the crash, the state government deployed amphibious swamp machines to support the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, emergency response agencies and local divers in reaching 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.