NAF Crash: Monarch Seeks Cleanup of Contaminated River

The traditional ruler of Igbokoda in Ondo State, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has urged the Nigerian and Ondo State governments to urgently clean up the river where a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed, warning that decomposing bodies and suspected aviation fuel contamination are posing serious environmental and public health risks to residents.

The NAF ATR-42 aircraft crashed in Igbokoda last Monday, with at least 25 people on board. Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had said there were no confirmed survivors, while recovery operations continued.

Speaking with the media, Odidiomo said residents had been enduring an offensive odour since the crash, which he attributed to human remains yet to be recovered from the river.

He also expressed concern over suspected aviation fuel spillage, which he said had contaminated the surrounding environment.

“The odour is extremely offensive. So many parts of the human body 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.

Odidiomo said the pollution had affected residents’ access to clean water, leaving them struggling to obtain enough for domestic activities, including cooking.

He added that traces of spilled aviation fuel could be seen on the river some distance from the crash site.

The monarch called on both levels of government to accelerate the recovery of the remaining human remains and aircraft debris. He also urged authorities to begin an urgent environmental clean-up to address the reported pollution.

Ondo government assesses environmental impact

The Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the state government was working with the Nigerian Government to address the situation.

Loko said the state had sent a delegation to Igbokoda shortly after the crash to assess its environmental impact and support recovery operations.

“Shortly after the plane crash occurred, the state government sent a delegation to the place for an on-the-spot assessment of the impact of the crash on the environment. Many people were there to assist in the recovery efforts. I think that is still ongoing,” he said.

The commissioner said the state was supporting the Nigerian Government because the recovery operation required joint efforts.

“What we are trying to do is support the Federal Government because it is not entirely an effort to be undertaken by the state government. The state government is collaborating with the Federal Government to ensure that we carry out as much recovery as possible,” Loko added.

He said concerns about pollution emerged shortly after the incident and that the government was assessing the extent of the contamination and its potential effects on public health.

“Shortly afterwards, concerns about pollution were raised. What we are trying to do is make a heuristic 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 acknowledged that pollution was a concern but said the government was conducting broader assessments to determine the necessary response.

“So, there is a case of pollution, but we are not resting on our oars. As I have said, we are carefully undertaking holistic assessments of the environmental impact and the public health impact of what has happened there to ensure that we address it as quickly as possible,” he added.

The assessments are expected to guide further recovery and decontamination efforts in the affected community.