Afolabi Odidiomo, traditional ruler of Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje LGA in Ondo state, says the community is facing a health crisis following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft in the area last week.
The monarch spoke in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, saying decaying bodies of the crash victims are polluting the swamp, a tributary to the community’s potable water reserves.
The NAF 931 aircraft, carrying 25 passengers, plunged into the Igbokoda swamps on October 5, 2026. No survivors have been found, according to Ehimen Ejodame, director of public relations and information at NAF.
Ejodame said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.
He added that search-and-rescue procedures were immediately activated, with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for everyone on board.
Kelvin Aneke, the chief of air staff, has since directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Afterwards, the Ondo state government deployed two specialised swamp buggies in a bid to retrieve the wreckage of the aircraft.
As of the time of filing this report, no bodies had been recovered.
Odidiomo, however, said the incident has left the community with contaminated water for domestic and other uses.
“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.
“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.
“So, the river that used to be friendly with children has become scary, as we wonder why the government cares so much for the dead rather than the living.
“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.
“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.”
The monarch called for an immediate clean-up of the water to prevent an epidemic, saying the lack of a plan to protect residents is unfair to the community.
He said the government could have cordoned the area to prevent the polluted water from emptying 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.”
A resident, Omogbemi Damola, also lamented the persistent stench.
“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, expressing fears about its possible effects on children and other vulnerable residents.
“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 called on the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency and relevant environmental authorities to intervene and ensure that the aftermath of the crash does not trigger a wider public-health crisis.
Meanwhile, the NAF on Wednesday said specialist divers from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are sustaining underwater search and recovery operations at the crash site.
In a post via X, the NAF said multi-agency teams are “working tirelessly, day and night” with hydrographic surveys, satellite-based search-and-rescue imagery, mud excavation and the pumping out of excess water to facilitate access to relevant areas.
It noted that additional aircraft components have been recovered as efforts continue to locate and retrieve relevant materials for documentation and preservation in support of the ongoing investigation.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, Ejodame said the NAF recognises the public’s legitimate interest in the ongoing process and remains committed to providing appropriate updates as verified information becomes available.
He, however, said the agency will protect sensitive investigative information and preserve the integrity of the proceedings.
“Conclusions regarding the cause of the accident would be premature until the investigation is completed and its findings are duly considered,” he said.
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