NAF Crash: Community Still Without Water As Restriction Affects Families

Residents of Igbokoda in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State are still struggling to access safe drinking water, while military restrictions around the site of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crash have disrupted fishing and other economic activities in the community.

The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, disclosed this yesterday in an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday, lamenting that authorities had yet to commence the environmental cleanup demanded by residents following the crash on October 5.

Odidiomo said fishermen who depended on the affected area for their livelihoods had been prevented from returning to their fishing grounds by personnel of the Nigerian Navy and the Air Force.

He added that residents who tapped palm wine for the production of local gin and other products had also been forced to suspend their businesses because of the restrictions.

”All the fishermen who normally fish there have been driven away by the Navy and the Air Force. Nobody can go there to fish now,” the monarch said.

He said some of the affected residents had also lost their kegs and other materials used for their businesses, while they remained uncertain when they would be allowed to return to the area.

The monarch expressed concern over the community’s water supply, saying residents had been left without a reliable source of water for drinking and cooking.

‎‎”We have no source of water for cooking or drinking. We are just here, buying water from Okitipupa (neighboring community) for drinking and other domestic uses,” he said.

‎‎Odidiomo also raised concerns about the possible health and environmental implications of the crash, alleging that human remains were still present in the river and that residents continued to contend with the resulting foul odour.

‎He said the community had yet to witness any fumigation or meaningful cleanup of the affected area, despite assurances that steps would be taken to address residents’ concerns.

‎‎The monarch questioned whether fumigation alone would resolve the problem, arguing that the authorities needed to determine the appropriate measures for addressing the environmental challenges arising from the incident.

‎‎”What are we fumigating? Is fumigation the solution to the odour?” he asked.

‎‎Odidiomo said the immediate crash site had been encircled with sand, but access to other parts of the affected area remained restricted, with no clear indication of when normal activities would resume.

‎‎He called on the federal government to take responsibility for the environmental remediation, noting that the aircraft belonged to the Nigerian Air Force and federal agencies were involved in operations at the site.

‎‎The monarch urged the federal government to remove debris and aviation fuel from the affected environment and restore the area to a condition that would allow residents to resume their economic activities safely.

‎He also demanded compensation for residents whose properties and business materials were destroyed during the incident.

‎‎As an immediate measure, Odidiomo called for the provision of water purifiers to help residents obtain safe drinking water while efforts to address the environmental concerns were being pursued.

‎‎He further urged the authorities to establish a programme to address the mental health needs of children and women in the community.

‎‎The monarch said some children who previously swam in the river had seen human flesh and other remains, an experience he believed could affect their psychological well-being.

‎‎”We should be more concerned about those who are alive rather than those who are gone,” he said, while insisting that the recovery of victims’ remains should not overshadow the needs of surviving residents.

‎‎The NAF aircraft crashed into a swamp near the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026, while travelling from Benin City to Lagos.

‎‎All 25 people on board, comprising 20 passengers and five crew members, died in the incident.