Air crash: Ondo monarch raises the alarm over water pollution

The Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently clean up communities in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State affected by pollution from the October 5 aircraft crash in Igbokoda.

The monarch said the aftermath of the crash had contaminated water bodies used by residents for drinking and fishing, while air pollution from the site continued to affect the communities.

The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the monarch’s media aide, Sesan Forolagba.

The Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, the headquarters of the Ilaje Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026, killing 25 people on board.

While efforts by the military to recover the wreckage of the aircraft are ongoing, residents have complained about the offensive odour emanating from the crash site.

Fishermen in the affected communities have also said the pollution has disrupted their livelihoods.

Against this backdrop, Akinruntan, who led other monarchs and members of the Olugbo-in-Council to the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, for intervention.

According to the statement, the monarch said the crash had severely affected local water bodies, disrupted access to drinking water and fishing activities, and worsened air pollution in the area.

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“We are making this passionate appeal on behalf of the good people of Ugboland to our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Minister for Environment.

“We urgently need the Federal Government’s immediate attention and assistance to clean up our environment. The water we drink and use for fishing has been tainted while the air pollution is worsening by the day. We need your rescue now,” he reportedly said.

While commending the armed forces for their efforts and sacrifice, Akinruntan said urgent environmental remediation was needed to protect public health and restore the livelihoods of residents in the coastal communities.

However, the state Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, said the government had continued efforts to sanitise the environment and restore normalcy in the affected communities.

Ajanaku stated, “The efforts are ongoing, the fumigation is going on, we have begun and it would be completed.”