Epidemic Fears Mount as Bodies of NAF Crash Victims Remain Unrecovered

Fears of a public health crisis are growing in Igbokoda, Ondo State, more than a week after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crashed into a swamp, with victims’ remains still awaiting full recovery.

Residents of the coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area have complained of an increasingly offensive odour around the crash site, raising concerns about environmental contamination and access to safe water.

In response, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has directed the state ministries of Environment and Health to begin extensive fumigation of the affected river to help prevent a possible outbreak of disease.

The governor also directed the ministries to provide residents with nose masks and other essential health kits as precautionary measures against potential health hazards.

The Ilaje Local Government Council was further instructed to arrange water tankers to supply potable water if assessments establish that the river is severely polluted and unsuitable for domestic use.

The aircraft, an ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian Air Force, crashed in Igbokoda on October 5 while reportedly travelling from Benin City to Lagos. All those on board were reported dead.

Recovery operations have been complicated by the swampy terrain, murky water and the aircraft’s submersion. Search teams have recovered some human remains and pieces of wreckage, but the main wreckage and the victims’ remains have not been fully recovered.

The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to accelerate the operation and undertake an urgent environmental clean-up.

He said the smell had become difficult for residents to endure and raised concerns about possible aviation fuel pollution in the river, which serves nearby communities.

Ondo State Commissioner for Environment Tob Loko said the government was assessing the environmental impact and potential public health risks to determine the necessary decontamination measures.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force has intensified search and recovery efforts and established a 12-member board to investigate the crash. The board is expected to examine operational, technical, environmental and human factors, as well as the emergency response.

The Senate has also called for an audit of the Air Force’s aircraft fleet and maintenance funding, while the House of Representatives has demanded an independent investigation.

Although residents fear an outbreak, no confirmed epidemic has been reported. Authorities are taking precautionary steps while assessing the possible risks and continuing efforts to recover the victims’ remains.