The Ogun State Government has once again closed several schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye, and Ijebu-Igbo after more than 100 pupils were reportedly hospitalized on Wednesday following exposure to an offensive gaseous substance.
The pupils who were affected were taken for treatment to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital, Ijebu-Igbo, and other healthcare facilities.
The schools most severely affected included Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, Itamerin Comprehensive High School, and Ago-Iwoye.
A video circulating on social media showed pupils fainting and being rushed to hospitals after inhaling the substance, which the state government had earlier identified as methane.
A teacher at one of the affected schools, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday on condition of anonymity, said the incident happened at about 10am, when pupils and staff began to have trouble breathing and to faint.
“The pupils and staff started inhaling the gas and began to have difficulty breathing. Some of them fainted and were rushed to hospitals,” the teacher said.
The teacher added that some schools in Ago-Iwoye had to close around 11am as the situation grew increasingly alarming.
“The worst-hit schools include Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School and Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode. Some parents who heard about the incident also came to pick up their children because nobody knew what was happening,” the teacher said.
The teacher voiced concern that the gas emissions had kept recurring since April, repeatedly putting pupils and school staff at risk to their health.
“Our health and that of our pupils is a worry to all of us. It seems to me that the government is taking far too long to uncover the root cause of this mysterious gas leakage. The government needs to act fast before it becomes too late,” the teacher added.
Wednesday’s incident marked the fourth reported case of the gaseous emissions in the Ijebu area since April, heightening fears about the safety of pupils and residents.
The state government, however, has reassured residents that the situation “is under control.”
In April, around 40 pupils were reportedly affected, while over 120 others were hospitalized after another exposure in May. A further incident on June 1 reportedly left 69 pupils in need of medical attention.
Schools affected in the past included Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, and St. Anthony Grammar School, Ijebu-Imusin, among others.
After an earlier occurrence, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government was collaborating with the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Department of Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University to determine what was causing the emissions.
Abiodun said gas analyzers had been installed in the affected schools after the first incident and that preliminary findings had identified the substance as methane.
“Preliminary findings suggest there may be geological factors involved, possibly fault lines common to these locations, which could be responsible for the emissions.
The Ogun state governor said in June: “We are awaiting the final report from the professionals handling the investigation.”
The Ogun state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said when contacted on Wednesday, the government was on top of the situation.
A senior special assistant to the governor and general manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, Kehinde Bello, who visited affected areas in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo, also said the latest incident was linked to underground gas emissions previously recorded in the area.
Bello said the situation was under control and assured residents that the government would find a lasting solution to the recurring problem.
He said government investigations had shown that the phenomenon was a natural occurrence tied to geological and tectonic fault lines, not sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
Bello urged residents to remain calm, adding that the affected pupils were expected to recover after receiving medical attention.
He also advised residents exposed to the odor to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs instead of wearing nose masks.
Medical personnel were attending to the affected students at various hospitals as of the time of filing this report.
The most recent incident has intensified worries about the repeated emissions and the possible dangers to children, teachers, and other residents, as calls grow for the government to identify the exact source and put in place a lasting solution.
