The Ondo State Government on Wednesday ordered the fumigation of the river around the site of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, following complaints by residents over a foul stench and fears of possible environmental contamination.
The government also directed the provision of potable water to residents if the river is found to be severely polluted and unsuitable for use, while nose masks and other essential health kits are to be distributed to protect the community against potential health hazards.
The directives followed growing concerns among residents over the condition of the swamp where the NAF ATR-42 aircraft crashed on October 5, killing all 25 persons on board, comprising 20 passengers and five crew members.
The aircraft, which was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos, crashed into a swamp near the Air Force Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda. More than a week after the incident, residents said the stench from the crash site had spread to residential areas, with reports of human remains floating in the water.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa had directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the affected river to prevent a possible outbreak of diseases.
According to the statement, the governor also directed the Ilaje Local Government to arrange water tankers for the continuous distribution of potable water if the river is confirmed to be severely polluted and unsuitable for use.
The arrangement, it said, would remain in place pending a lasting intervention to address the pollution concerns. The governor further directed the Ministries of Health and Environment to provide nose masks and other essential health kits to residents.
Aiyedatiwa, according to the statement, reiterated the state government’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force in its ongoing recovery efforts and ensuring the welfare and safety of residents of the affected community.
The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had raised the alarm over the stench from the crash site, saying the offensive odour had spread into residential areas and made life unbearable for residents.
“The odour is extremely offensive and unbearable. So many parts of human bodies are floating around in the river. Some of the bodies have not been recovered; they have decomposed, and it is affecting everything,” the monarch said.
He expressed concern over possible contamination of the river, which residents use for various domestic and economic activities, urging the authorities to intensify recovery operations, remove the remaining human remains and debris, contain any fuel spillage and undertake comprehensive environmental remediation.
“People are worried about cooking, bathing and other domestic uses. We are appealing to government to urgently remove the remaining bodies and debris, contain any fuel spillage and carry out full environmental remediation,” Oba Odidiomo said.
A resident, Omogbemi Damola, also lamented the persistent stench, saying the smell had been carried by the breeze into homes around the community.
“What happened in Igbokoda is a very sad experience. Since the accident occurred, different kinds of unpleasant odours have been carried by the breeze into our homes. I live upstairs, and I have been perceiving the smell for at least four days now,” she said.
Another resident, Oroyo Levy, described the situation as a public-health concern, expressing fears about its possible effects on children and other vulnerable residents.
“We are appealing to government to act swiftly to contain the odour and prevent it from posing further health risks. The smell suggests air pollution, and we are worried about its effect, especially on children,” Levy said.
The residents called on the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency and relevant environmental authorities to intervene and ensure that the aftermath of the crash did not trigger a wider public-health crisis.
However, the state Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the government was collaborating with the Federal Government to intensify recovery efforts and assess the environmental and public-health implications of the incident.
“The state government is collaborating with the Federal Government to ensure that we carry out as much recovery as possible,” Loko said, adding that the authorities were undertaking a comprehensive assessment to determine the extent of the pollution and the appropriate decontamination measures.
“What we are trying to do is make a holistic assessment of the level of public-health impact and determine how we can embark on decontamination efforts because the surrounding area is surely contaminated,” he said.
Loko, however, disputed claims that residents had been left without drinking water, explaining that boreholes were available in the community and that the crash site was about 500 metres from the main residential area.
“That is not the water they drink. There are boreholes around. So, the claim that the water is no longer useful is not entirely correct,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that the government was not ruling out possible pollution, adding that the environmental assessment would guide the necessary response.
“We are not ruling out the fact that there may be cases of pollution. But to say that the people do not have water to drink as a result of the crash is not a sustainable argument,” Loko added.
Fidelis David
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