NAF crash: Aiyedatiwa orders fumigation of Igbokoda River, provision of clean water for residents

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has ordered the immediate fumigation of a river in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft in the coastal community.

The governor also directed the provision of potable water to residents amid concerns about possible pollution of the river and the potential risks to public health.

The intervention followed concerns raised by residents over the condition of the river after the aircraft crash in Igbokoda.

The measures are aimed at addressing fears over the safety of the water source and ensuring that residents have access to clean drinking water while efforts to address the situation continue.

The incident has drawn attention to the potential environmental and public health implications of the aircraft crash in the coastal community.

The NAF ATR-42 aircraft, which was on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos, crashed into a swamp near the Nigerian Air Force Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda last Monday.

All 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers, were killed in the crash. The aircraft sank into the swamp, prompting search and recovery operations involving military personnel and other emergency agencies.

Intense efforts by divers and rescue teams to retrieve the wreckage of the plane and the bodies of the victims have been largely unsuccessful because of the terrain.

Excavations are ongoing at the site, with more machinery being deployed to help remove the remaining parts of the aircraft.

The traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said the crash left residents unable to safely use the river for drinking, cooking, and fishing, worsening hardship because they lack an alternative water source.

The monarch told The Nation that the river was central to residents’ daily activities, warning that its suspected contamination posed a serious threat to public health.

“That is the water we fetch to cook. It is the water we drink from. It is the water we use for our day-to-day life. And if it is polluted today, the stench comes from dead bodies. It has infested the water,” he said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the governor has directed the state ministries of Environment and Health to begin extensive fumigation of the river to prevent a possible outbreak of diseases.

Ajanaku added that the governor has also instructed the Ilaje LGA to arrange water tankers to continuously distribute potable water to residents if assessments show the river is severely polluted.

“Following complaints by residents of Igbokoda over the strong stench emanating from the river where the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed last week, Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the river.

“The directive is aimed at preventing a possible outbreak of diseases, as the river serves as a major source of livelihood for residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities.

“The governor also directed the Ilaje Local Government to arrange water tankers for the continuous distribution of potable water to residents if the river is found to be severely polluted and unsuitable for use,” the statement read.

Ajanaku added that the arrangement would remain in place until a lasting intervention addresses the pollution.

He further disclosed that the governor also directed the Ministries of Health and Environment to distribute nose masks and other essential health kits to residents to protect them from potential health hazards.

Ajanaku, however, reiterated the state government’s commitment to providing NAF with the necessary support for its ongoing evacuation efforts and to ensure the welfare and safety of residents in the affected community.

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