By Dayo Johnson, Akure
More than a week after a Nigerian Air Force, NAF, aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, residents said they are battling offensive odour, polluted water and fear for disease outbreak.
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The NAF ATR-42, which was flying from Benin City to Lagos, crashed into a swamp near the Air Force Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda on October 5, killing all 25 persons on board.
They appealed to the Federal Government, Ondo State government and the Nigerian Air Force to urgently evacuate the human remains, clean up the environment and provide safe drinking water for the community.
The aircraft was on a routine operation when it crashed on Monday, October 5, killing all 25 persons on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.
It submerged into the swamp, prompting a joint search and recovery operation by the Air Force, other security agencies and emergency responders. More than a week after, locals say the operation is yet to be fully concluded.
Community leaders and residents told Vanguard that the decomposing bodies and spillage of aviation fuel have left the entire area polluted.
Body parts float
The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said the stench from the crash site has spread to residential areas, making life unbearable for residents.
He said body parts were still seen floating on the river, while traces of fuel could be observed some distance from the wreckage site.
“The odour is extremely offensive and unbearable. So many parts of human bodies 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.
According to him, the development has raised serious concerns over contamination of the river, which serves as a major source of water for domestic use.
“People are worried about cooking, bathing and other domestic uses. We are appealing to government to urgently remove the remaining bodies and debris, contain any fuel spillage and carry out full environmental remediation,” Oba Odidiomo said.
He also called for immediate provision of potable water for residents pending conclusion of recovery and clean-up operations, stressing that the welfare of the host community should not be overlooked.
Smell
For residents living near the river, the experience has been distressing.
Omogbemi Damola, a resident, said she has been perceiving the foul odour in her upstairs apartment for days.
“What happened in Igbokoda is a very sad experience. Since the accident occurred, different kinds of unpleasant odours have been carried by the breeze into our homes.
“I live upstairs and I have been perceiving the smell for at least four days now,” she said.
She appealed to the state government to expedite action on the recovery of bodies and measures to control the stench, noting that the community has already suffered enough trauma from the incident.
Another resident, Oroyo Levy, said the situation has gone beyond discomfort to a public health concern.
“We are appealing to government to act swiftly to contain the odour and prevent it from posing further health risks.
“The smell suggests air pollution and we are worried about its effect, especially on children,” Levy said.
He described the crash as an unusual and painful experience for the riverine community, and urged authorities to investigate the environmental impact of the incident to avert another crisis.
Levy added that more than a week after the tragedy, uncertainty over water safety has heightened anxiety among residents who depend on the river.
Residents therefore urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA; State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and relevant environmental agencies to intervene and ensure that the aftermath of the crash does not trigger an outbreak of waterborne diseases.
Govt reacts
Reacting, the State Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the state government was collaborating with the Federal Government to ensure maximum recovery.
“The state government is collaborating with the Federal Government to ensure that we carry out as much recovery as possible.
“But you know that despite the number of days the recovery effort has been ongoing, no meaningful recovery has been made. None of the corpses has been recovered.
“Shortly afterwards, concerns about pollution were raised. What we are trying to do is make a holistic assessment of the level of public health impact and determine how we can embark on decontamination efforts because the surrounding area is surely contaminated.
“So, there is a case of pollution. But we are not resting on our laurels. 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 said.
‘They have drinking water’
On claims of drinking water pollution, the commissioner said the complaint was not entirely correct.
“That is not the water they drink. There are boreholes around. So, the claim that the water is no longer useful is not entirely correct.
“Let me also say this: Some people insinuate that the site of the crash is close to the metropolis. Of course, the crash site is at least 500 metres away from the bulk of the metropolis. So, the issue of not having water to drink and other associated concerns is not there.
“We are not ruling out the fact that there may be cases of pollution. But to say that the people do not have water to drink as a result of the crash is not a sustainable argument or concern, so to speak,” Loko added.
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