Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the fumigation of Igbokoda River and the distribution of nose masks and other health kits to residents following complaints about the offensive stench emanating from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.
The directive came amid growing concerns over possible environmental contamination and health risks as recovery operations continue in the swampy crash site in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, the governor directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the river to prevent a possible outbreak of diseases.
The statement said the intervention was necessary because the river served as a major source of livelihood for residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities.
Aiyedatiwa also directed the Ilaje Local Government Council to arrange water tankers to supply potable water to residents if investigations showed that the river had been severely polluted and was no longer safe for use.
The arrangement, according to the statement, would remain in place pending a lasting solution to the pollution concerns.
The governor further ordered the distribution of nose masks and other essential health kits to residents to protect them from potential health hazards associated with the incident.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force in its ongoing evacuation and recovery operations, while ensuring the safety and welfare of residents of the affected community.
The crash occurred on October 5, when a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed into 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, reportedly died in the incident.
Nine days after the crash, the recovery of the victims’ remains and 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 appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to accelerate recovery operations and address suspected contamination from decomposing human remains and spilled aviation fuel.
The difficult swampy terrain and the aircraft’s submersion in the water have complicated the recovery efforts.
Following the incident, the state government deployed amphibious swamp machines to assist the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, emergency response agencies and local divers in accessing the crash site and retrieving the wreckage and victims’ remains.
The Nigerian Air Force has also intensified search and recovery operations 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.
