Afolabi Odidiomo, the traditional ruler of Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, has raised concerns over a potential public health crisis following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft in the community last week.
The monarch alleged that decomposing human remains from the crash were polluting the surrounding swamp, which feeds into a waterway connected to the community’s drinking water supply.
Odidiomo made the disclosure in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, calling on the government to urgently clean up the affected waterway and prevent a possible outbreak of disease.
The NAF 931 aircraft, which was carrying 25 passengers, plunged into the Igbokoda swamps on October 5, 2026. According to Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, no survivors had been found.
Ejodame said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
He added that search-and-rescue operations were immediately activated in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for everyone on board.
Following the incident, Kelvin Aneke, the Chief of the Air Staff, ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Ondo State Government subsequently deployed two specialised swamp buggies to assist in retrieving the wreckage.
However, as of the time of filing this report, no bodies had been recovered.
Monarch Raises Concerns Over Drinking Water
Odidiomo said the incident had left residents worried about the condition of the waterway, alleging that decomposing remains and possible fuel or oil contamination were affecting the environment.
“The concern of everybody in this community today is that our government spent time, energy, money, and effort looking for people that had been chopped into pieces by the crash. The pieces that are floating everywhere in our rivers. The pieces that have decayed left so much stench that is unbelievable,” the monarch said.
He added that children who previously swam in the river after school were now afraid to approach it because of what they allegedly saw in the water.
“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.
The monarch lamented that the waterway, which had previously served as a recreational area for children, had become a source of fear for residents.
“This same river where the plane crashed into is what supplies our drinking water. We have a water treatment machine at Aboto, about seven kilometres from here. The water doesn’t come every day, and when it comes, it is this same water that flows there, pumped to be treated for our drinking,” he said.
He expressed concern that the water could have been contaminated by decomposing remains, oil from the aircraft or other pollutants associated with the crash.
“So, it means whatever happens, pollution is already in the river, either as a result of decayed bodies or as oil that dropped into the river, and any other pollution that went into the water thereof,” Odidiomo added.
The monarch called for an immediate cleanup and environmental remediation, warning that failure to address the situation could expose residents to health risks.
He also questioned the absence of measures to protect the living while recovery efforts continued for those who died in the crash.
Odidiomo said authorities could have cordoned off the affected area to prevent potentially contaminated water from flowing into the main river.
“We are asking the government for cleanup. We are asking the government for remediation, a kind of restoration of the environment,” he said.
“The restoration now does not mean that we want the trees planted back, but we want the government to still do something in memory of those that died just as we have in Lagos and Ogun states.”
Residents of Igbokoda have also expressed concerns about the lingering odour following the crash.
Omogbemi Damola, a resident, described the incident as a distressing experience, saying unpleasant smells had continued to spread into homes.
“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.
Another resident, Oroyo Levy, described the situation as a public health concern, particularly for children and other vulnerable members of the community.
“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.
The residents appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency and relevant environmental authorities to intervene.
They urged the agencies to assess the situation and take measures to prevent the aftermath of the crash from developing into a wider public health crisis.
