Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has directed the fumigation of the Igbokoda River and the distribution of nose masks and health kits to residents living near the site of the October 5 Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash, as recovery operations continue and concerns over environmental contamination grow.
Governor's Directive on Fumigation and Health Kits
The directive was announced on Wednesday in a statement signed by Idowu Ajanaku, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation. The governor asked the Ministries of Environment and Health to begin extensive fumigation of the river to reduce the risk of a disease outbreak.
The Igbokoda River is a central source of income and daily livelihood for people in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, and in nearby communities. With recovery efforts dragging into a ninth day, residents have reported an increasingly foul smell rising from the crash site, raising fears about decomposing human remains and spilt aviation fuel in the water.
Water Tankers and Clean Drinking Water
According to The Punch, the governor also instructed the Ilaje Local Government Area to arrange water tankers to supply clean drinking water to residents if the river is found to be severely contaminated and unsafe for use.
Igbokoda's traditional ruler, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had previously urged both the Federal and Ondo State governments to speed up recovery efforts and deal with the suspected contamination at the site.
Crash Background and Recovery Challenges
The Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, registration number NAF 931, came down in a swampy part of Igbokoda on October 5 while on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos. All 25 people on board were killed, made up of five crew members and 20 passengers.
Retrieval of victims' remains and wreckage has been slow due to the difficult swampy terrain and the aircraft's submersion beneath the water. The state government deployed amphibious swamp machines to support the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, emergency response agencies and local divers working at the site.
The Nigerian Air Force has since intensified its search and recovery operation and set up a 12-member board of inquiry to look into the circumstances of the crash. The Federal Government had also previously ordered a separate investigation into the incident.
Aiyedatiwa Responds to Community Outcry
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State confirmed that no survivor had been found following a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in the Ilaje Local Government Area. The governor spoke on Monday, hours after the aircraft went down in the Igbokoda area of the state.
Emergency responders, security personnel, and residents all combed the crash site without locating anyone alive. The fumigation order and supply of clean water are part of the state's response to the environmental and health concerns raised by the community.
