AIYEDATIWA DEPLOYS HEALTH KITS, WATER TANKERS AMID POLLUTION FEARS AFTER NAF CRASH
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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the fumigation of the Igbokoda River and the distribution of nose masks and other health supplies to residents following complaints about a foul smell from the site of last week’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash.
The directive came amid growing concerns about possible environmental contamination and health risks as recovery operations continue at the crash site in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanaku, said the governor had instructed the Ministries of Environment and Health to commence extensive fumigation of the river to prevent potential disease outbreaks.
The statement read, “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.”
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It noted that the intervention was necessary because the river serves as a major source of livelihood for residents of Igbokoda and neighbouring communities.
Aiyedatiwa also directed the Ilaje Local Government Area to provide water tankers to supply clean drinking water to residents if investigations confirmed that the river had been severely polluted and was no longer safe for use.
According to the statement, the water supply arrangement would remain in place pending a permanent 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 to minimise their exposure to potential health hazards.
He also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing the necessary support to the Nigerian Air Force in its ongoing recovery operations while ensuring the safety and welfare of residents 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.
The incident reportedly claimed the lives of all 25 people on board, including five crew members and 20 passengers.
Nine days after the crash, the recovery of the victims’ remains and the aircraft wreckage remained a major concern, as residents complained of an increasingly offensive smell emanating from the river.
The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to accelerate recovery operations and address suspected contamination caused by decomposing human remains and spilled aviation fuel.
Recovery efforts have been hampered by the swampy terrain and the aircraft’s submersion in the water. In response, 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.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force has intensified search and recovery operations and established a 12-member board of inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Federal Government had also ordered an investigation into the incident.
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