Bright Sunday
IGBOKODA, Ondo State – Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, the monarch of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, has called on the federal and state governments to intensify efforts to recover the remains of victims of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft crash in the community and urgently address the environmental concerns arising from the incident.
The crash occurred on October 5, 2026, killing all 25 people on board while on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had confirmed that there were no survivors while recovery operations continued.
Speaking on the need for urgent cleanup, Odidiomo said residents had been battling an offensive odour since the crash, which he attributed to decomposing human remains yet to be recovered from the river.
He also raised concerns about a possible aviation fuel spill and its potential impact on the surrounding environment.
“The situation is extremely serious and is affecting the entire environment,” Odidiomo said.
In response to the community’s concerns, Governor Aiyedatiwa directed the state ministries responsible for environment and health to begin extensive fumigation of the river to help prevent a possible outbreak of disease.
The governor also directed the authorities of Ilaje Local Government Area to arrange water tankers for the continuous distribution of potable water to residents if assessments found the river severely polluted and unsuitable for use.
According to a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, the arrangement would remain in place pending a lasting intervention to address the pollution concerns.
Aiyedatiwa further directed the relevant authorities to provide residents with nose masks and other essential health kits to protect them from potential health hazards. He also reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian Air Force’s ongoing recovery and evacuation efforts while ensuring the welfare and safety of affected residents.
THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE has also acknowledged the community’s concerns.
In an interview with Premium Times on October 13, 2026, Odidiomo described the impact of the crash on residents, particularly children who usually swim in the river.
“Going close to the river is so scary now for children who usually go to swim when they return from school, because they see human flesh everywhere as they swim. Fish are also dying everywhere,” he said.
In a statement issued on October 15, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, said the Air Force was taking the community’s concerns seriously.
“The NAF recognises the discomfort, anxiety and uncertainty such circumstances may cause and assures the affected community that their concerns are being taken seriously,” Ejodame said.
He added that the Air Force would engage the relevant environmental and public health authorities, alongside other agencies, after the recovery operation to assess the situation and coordinate appropriate action on any identified environmental concerns.
The Ondo State Government also deployed two specialised swamp buggies to support the recovery of the aircraft wreckage.
Despite the announced interventions, residents have continued to report unpleasant odours in the community.
Omogbemi Damola, a resident, said the foul smell had persisted since the crash, with the breeze carrying it into residential areas.
“What happened in Igbokoda is a very bad experience. Since the accident, different kinds of unpleasant odours have been wafted around by the breeze. I live upstairs in a storey building, and I have been perceiving the smell.” Damola said.
The Ondo State Government had also sent a delegation to Igbokoda shortly after the crash to assess its environmental impact and support recovery efforts, according to Tob Loko, the state Commissioner for Environment, who spoke to The Punch.
Loko said the government was assessing the extent of the pollution and its potential public health implications to determine appropriate decontamination measures.
The state government is also collaborating with the federal government and the Nigerian Air Force on recovery and evacuation efforts.
