The bodies of 25 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel and the wreckage of their aircraft remain unrecovered nine days after it crashed into a river in Igbokoda, Ondo State, as residents raise concerns over a worsening stench and possible environmental pollution.
The October 5 crash in Ilaje Local Government Area has prompted calls for urgent recovery operations, environmental clean-up and an independent investigation into the incident.
Residents say the odour around the crash site has become increasingly unbearable, while concerns are mounting over suspected contamination of the river by decomposing human remains and aviation fuel.
The monarch of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has urged the Federal and Ondo State governments to accelerate efforts to recover the victims and aircraft debris.
“The odour is extremely offensive. So many parts of the human body are floating around in the river. Some of the bodies have not been recovered. They have decomposed, and it is affecting everything,” he said.
The monarch said the suspected pollution was affecting residents’ access to clean water for domestic use, including cooking. He also reported seeing traces of aviation fuel on the river some distance from the crash site.
He called for urgent recovery operations and environmental clean-up to protect residents from possible health risks.
Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the state government was working with the Federal Government to assess the environmental impact and determine appropriate decontamination measures.
“Despite the number of days the recovery effort has been ongoing, no recovery has been made. None of the corpses has been recovered,” he said.
Community leader Segun Omogbemi also described the stench as increasingly unbearable, urging the authorities to speed up the recovery operation.
“What happened in Igbokoda is a very sad experience. Since Sunday, we have perceived this odour, very offensive. In fact, it is getting worse; we are thinking the odour is from the crash site,” he said.
A resident, Veronica Molehin, said the smell had reached homes near the crash site.
“My house is not too far from the scene of the crash; we perceive the odour here too. We have been on it since Friday, and we thought the government would have evacuated the remains of the victims, but they are still on it,” she said.
NAF sets up 12-member investigation board
The Nigerian Air Force says it has intensified search and recovery operations and established a 12-member board to investigate the crash.
In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, had directed sustained recovery efforts alongside a comprehensive investigation.
The investigation board, led by Air Vice Marshal F.O. Ankeli, includes specialists in aviation operations, flight safety, piloting, air traffic control, aircraft engineering, maintenance and medical services.
Representatives of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau are also members.
The board is expected to examine the operational, technical, environmental, human and organisational factors surrounding the crash, establish its immediate and underlying causes, and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
It will also review the emergency response, including search and rescue, medical assistance and management of the crash site.
The NAF has urged the public not to draw conclusions about the cause of the crash before the investigation is completed. It has also established a helpline to provide information to victims’ families and pledged support for the bereaved.
The Senate has called for a comprehensive audit of the NAF aircraft fleet and maintenance funding following the crash.
The lawmakers directed relevant committees to scrutinise budgetary allocations for aircraft maintenance and determine whether funding gaps or other lapses contributed to recurring military aviation accidents.
They also urged the NAF and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate the crash and make their findings public.
The Senate’s committees on Air Force and Aviation are expected to visit the crash site, engage military authorities and examine the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.
The House of Representatives has separately called for an independent investigation into the incident, saying it should complement the inquiry announced by the NAF.
The House also urged the Federal Government to release approved funds for aircraft maintenance, spare parts and other operational needs on time.
It called for an audit of military aircraft and equipment, stronger maintenance systems, and appropriate welfare support and compensation for the victims’ families.
The lawmakers further requested posthumous commendations for the pilot and crew in recognition of their service.
NAF budgets N37.1bn for aircraft maintenance
An analysis of budget documents shows that the Nigerian Air Force earmarked approximately ₦37.10bn for aircraft maintenance across five budget cycles from four year’s ago to this year.
The allocations rose from ₦2.56bn in four year’s ago Appropriation Amendment and ₦2.56bn in three year’s ago Appropriation Act to ₦4.86bn two year’s ago Executive Proposal.
The figure increased to ₦11.57bn last year Appropriation Act and ₦15.56bn this year Appropriation Bill.
However, the actual amounts released and spent on aircraft maintenance could not be established from the documents reviewed.
It therefore remains unclear how much of the budgeted funding reached the NAF and how much was ultimately spent.
Meanwhile, the brother of a female NAF officer who died in the crash has alleged that the aircraft developed a mechanical fault before its final flight.
He claimed his sister told him the aircraft stopped in Benin City, Edo State, for checks before continuing its journey to Lagos.
“There is damage control everywhere,” he said, alleging that the authorities were withholding information about the incident.
He also questioned why the aircraft continued its journey if the reported fault had not been adequately resolved.
“I have evidence that this aircraft was coming all the way from Abuja. It stopped in Benin on Sunday night so that it could be fixed,” he said.
The allegations have not been established by an official investigation.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the crash, while the Federal Government declared three days of national mourning for the victims.
Aviation analysts have called for stronger cooperation between military and civilian aviation authorities to improve safety and accountability.
Olumide Ohunayo, a member of the Aviation Round Table, said closer collaboration with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau was necessary to identify safety lapses and prevent future accidents.
“When you have 16 accidents in 10 years, and eight in five years, it shows there’s something wrong with your system,” he said.
Ohunayo argued that investigations should examine systemic weaknesses in aircraft maintenance and operations, rather than focus solely on the immediate causes of individual crashes.
“The Air Force must agree there’s a problem with their safety and operational system that needs regulatory surveillance, most importantly, audits. And that audit cannot come from the Air Force,” he said.
Aviation expert Alex Nwuba also questioned the level of oversight of military aviation and raised concerns about maintenance practices.
Nwuba claimed that only three of the NAF’s ATR aircraft were operational and that the use of spare parts from grounded aircraft could further affect fleet availability. These claims could not be independently verified.
Retired Group Captain John Ojikutu also expressed concern over the failure to recover the victims’ remains.
“Have they brought out anything? Even the bodies, they’ve not been able to find them. That is where my worry is,” he said.
As the search continues, residents of Igbokoda are demanding urgent action to recover the victims, address the suspected contamination and protect the community from potential public health risks.
