Fishermen, fish traders and boat operators say fishing restrictions and fears of possible water contamination have disrupted their livelihoods, twelve days after a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed into waters off Igbokoda, Ondo State.
Festus Ikuomola, chairman of the Ilaje Fishermen Association in Igbokoda, told Saturday PUNCH that about 1,500 members of the association had been affected by the October 5 crash involving an aircraft carrying 25 people.
He said many fishermen had been unable to work since the incident, while those travelling farther from the community to fish faced higher operating costs and reduced earnings.
“Normally, our people make between N15,000 and N30,000 on a good day, but most of them have not been doing anything since that day. Only a few who have bigger boats go far away to fish and return to sell, which is not economically viable if you compare how much they spend and what they make,” Ikuomola said.
He urged the Federal Government to clean up the affected area and compensate residents whose livelihoods had suffered.
“The spillage will have a devastating effect on fish and other aquatic life in the area, thereby threatening our only source of livelihood,” he said.
Ikuomola added that the disruption had also affected women who relied on fishing activities to sustain their trading businesses and households.
He said women dominated fish trading in the community and earned an average of N60,000 weekly before the incident, depending on the quantity of fish supplied by fishermen.
The chairman said fish traders already faced challenges such as inadequate storage facilities, limited capital, poor access to credit and long distances to markets.
He added that suspected water contamination and restrictions on movement had worsened the situation.
“Some fishermen said they saw oil floating on parts of the water, and restrictions on movement have also limited their access to fishing locations,” he said.
Boat operators have also lost income because of restrictions on the waterways.
Yemi Adetimehin, a boat operator, said he previously earned between N30,000 and N50,000 daily transporting women who bought and sold fish.
“Right now, nothing is coming in for me. The soldiers have stopped us from entering the water,” he said.
Another operator, Shola Michael, said he had switched to commercial motorcycle riding to support his wife and two children after the restrictions forced him to suspend his boat business.
“I have a wife and two children who will eat. Since I can no longer use my boat for business because of the plane crash, I had to collect a bike to ride and make money to feed my family,” he said.
Fish traders struggle to find supplies
A dry fish trader, Bimpe Kayode, said she had struggled to obtain enough fish since the crash because fishermen were no longer going out as frequently as before.
“Last Sunday, I went to the market to buy fish, but very small quantities were available at the market in Igbokoda because we learnt that the fishermen did not go to the water to fish due to the incident that happened. So, I went back home empty-handed,” she said.
A fisherman who identified himself only as Sunday said he had been travelling farther from the community to find fish, making his work more difficult and expensive.
“We could not get better fish around this area again because the water is no longer good. I have to go very far from here to catch fish, and this is very strenuous, unlike before. In fact, something has to be done about this matter; it is affecting our business,” he said.
Although fishermen have linked their difficulties to the crash and suspected pollution, the extent of any contamination and its effects on aquatic life have yet to be established through scientific testing.
The Ondo State Government has announced plans to test air and water quality around the crash site. Residents and fishing representatives are seeking clarity on the safety of the waterways, possible cleanup measures and compensation for affected livelihoods.
The Nigerian Air Force has also acknowledged residents’ concerns about offensive odours and possible environmental effects. It said it would engage environmental and public health authorities after the recovery operation to assess the situation and address any identified concerns.
Monarch petitions Tinubu over environmental concerns
The Olugbokoda of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, has appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to address environmental concerns and economic losses reported by residents.
In a petition to the Presidency, the monarch raised questions about the recovery of the aircraft and human remains, possible fuel leakage, and the potential effects on aquatic life and communities dependent on the waterways.
“There are grave questions about the recovery of the aircraft and any human remains, the possible release of aviation fuel or other hazardous substances, and the effect on the surrounding waters, aquatic life, and people whose livelihoods depend on them,” he said.
Also Read: Igbokoda battles foul stench at NAF crash site
Odidiomo said residents should not be left uncertain about the safety of their waterways or forced to bear the consequences of any damage caused by an incident involving a Federal Government aircraft.
He called for an environmental assessment by qualified experts and a transparent process through which affected residents could claim compensation for established losses.
“We want the government to put in place a fair and accessible claims process for persons who can demonstrate loss or injury attributable to the incident, covering damage to property and equipment, loss of income, reasonable expenses, personal injury, and other established losses recognised by law,” he said.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, told Saturday PUNCH that the state government would conduct air and water quality tests at the crash site to determine the extent of possible contamination.
He said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had directed him and the Commissioner for Health to accelerate measures to address possible environmental pollution.
Loko added that officials would assess the site before deciding on the appropriate measures to protect residents and their livelihoods.
“That is why we are mobilising to the site for the spot assessment. We are going to assess the level of contamination that has taken place,” he said.
Experts call for scientific testing
Fisheries and environmental experts have urged the government to conduct scientific tests to establish whether the crash caused pollution and determine the measures needed to protect the affected environment.
Dr Lukman Agbabiaka, an adviser and member of the Bureau of the African Network of Non-State Actors in Fisheries and Aquaculture, said an environmental impact assessment would help determine the concentration of hydrocarbons, aviation fuel and engine oil in the area and their potential effects on fisheries.
“The EIA report at the scene of the NAF aircraft crash in Ondo will guide on the toxicity and concentration of hydrocarbons, jet fuel, engine oil, and their potential impacts on the fishery in particular, including its multiplier effects,” he said.
Agbabiaka warned that fears of contamination could affect fish sales even before tests established the extent of any environmental damage.
“In the short run or medium term, many aquatic foods from the area will be rejected by consumers with the fear of contamination and public health implications,” he said.
He estimated that affected aquatic life and fishing grounds could take between six months and 10 years to recover, depending on the type and concentration of pollutants, the species affected and the duration of exposure.
Philip Jakpor, an environmental expert and executive director of the Renevlyn Development Initiative, called for an environmental audit, the cleanup of any identified pollution, alternative water supplies and livelihood support for affected residents.
“Aviation fuel, just like other hydrocarbons in an environment, will not disappear by mere fumigation, and the toxic elements can remain in the environment for decades,” he said.
Jakpor cited the United Nations Environment Programme’s 2011 assessment of oil pollution in Ogoniland as an example of the potential long-term consequences of environmental contamination.
Olawale Adejuwon, a professor of environmental toxicology and aquatic pollution at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, said the assessment should include tests on water, river sediments and fish tissue.
“No authority should declare the river safe without three levels of scientific testing: water analysis, sediment testing and fish-tissue analysis,” he said.
Adejuwon questioned whether fumigation and the distribution of nose masks would adequately address possible hydrocarbon pollution.
“Fumigation kills mosquitoes and bacteria; it does not remove benzene from water. Nose masks only reduce inhalation for a few hours. What is needed is containment with oil booms, skimming, and bioremediation,” he said.
Muhammed Shehu, a toxicologist at the University of Abuja, also urged environmental authorities to collect samples and have them analysed in accredited laboratories before deciding whether fishing could safely resume in the affected areas.
Families await recovery of missing victims
While residents struggle with lost income and uncertainty over the condition of the waterways, relatives of some of the 25 people aboard the aircraft have expressed anguish over the delay in recovering and identifying their loved ones’ remains.
Damilola, a sister of one of the victims, Sunday Michael, said her family had received little information about the recovery operation.
“It is heartbreaking that over a week after the crash, the bodies of the victims have not been recovered. Our family is really devastated by the situation.
“Nobody has provided us with any information about the recovery of the bodies. We don’t know what is happening or when the bodies will be found. We have been left in the dark, and we don’t even know what to expect,” she said.
Another victim’s sister, who identified herself as Perfection, said the lack of updates had deepened her family’s grief and prevented them from making burial arrangements.
“At least, the recovery of the body will give the family some form of closure, but there is nothing we can do about it. The family is unable to plan for burial arrangements because nobody has been found till now. We have accepted our fate. There is no update,” she said.
Punch News
