The Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, has called on the Federal Government to urgently address environmental pollution affecting communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State following the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda.

The monarch made the appeal through a statement issued on Friday by his media aide, Sesan Forolagba, urging President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Environment to intervene and accelerate efforts to clean up the affected areas.

Akinruntan, who led other traditional rulers and members of the Olugbo-in-Council to the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, expressed concern over the reported contamination of local waterways and worsening air pollution around the crash site.

He said the situation had affected sources of drinking water and disrupted fishing activities, which sustain the livelihoods of many residents in the coastal communities.

The monarch appealed for immediate federal assistance, warning that residents were increasingly exposed to environmental and public health risks.

He also called for coordinated action to restore the affected environment and protect communities whose livelihoods depend on the surrounding waterways.

The aircraft, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42, crashed into a swampy area of Igbokoda on October 5, 2026, killing all 25 people on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.

Recovery operations have continued at the site, with the swampy terrain and submerged wreckage complicating efforts to retrieve the aircraft and victims’ remains. Residents have also complained about an offensive odour around the crash location and concerns over possible contamination of the water.

The monarch commended the armed forces for their efforts and sacrifices but stressed that urgent environmental remediation was necessary to safeguard public health and restore economic activities in the affected communities.

In response, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, said the state government had begun measures to sanitise the affected environment.

He said fumigation was ongoing and would be completed as part of efforts to address the situation.

The state government had earlier directed its Ministries of Environment and Health to fumigate the river and provide health kits to residents. It also instructed the Ilaje Local Government Area to arrange potable water supplies if assessments established that the river was unsuitable for domestic use.