… April, May, June Incidents Spark Panic In Ijebu-Ode
… Students, Teachers Hospitalised As Cause Remains Unknown
… Parents Demand Urgent Govt Action
Daud Olatunji
A disturbing pattern of mysterious gas emissions has thrown schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, into repeated crises, with more than 200 students and teachers affected in three separate incidents within 64 days, raising concerns over a looming environmental and public health emergency.
The latest incident occurred on Wednesday, June 3, at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, where students and members of staff reportedly suffered breathing difficulties and other health complications after perceiving a strange chemical odour during school hours. The victims were rushed to hospital for treatment as panic spread across the community.
The June episode came barely 19 days after a similar occurrence on May 15 and about two months after the first reported incident on April 1, making it the third gas-related emergency to hit schools in the area in just over two months.
An analysis of the three incidents shows that at least 130 victims were officially reported in the first two occurrences alone, while authorities have yet to disclose the number affected in Wednesday’s incident. With several students and teachers reportedly hospitalised again on June 3, the cumulative figure is believed to have exceeded 200.
The first alarm was raised on April 1 when about 30 students and teachers of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School were hospitalised after inhaling fumes suspected to have originated from a nearby source.
The incident disrupted academic activities and triggered fears among parents and residents. Investigators at the time ruled out the presence of gas pipelines or industrial facilities near the school and suggested the emissions could have resulted from human activities involving carbide cylinders.
However, before the dust settled, a second and more severe incident struck on May 15, affecting over 100 students and teachers across multiple schools, including Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Obalende, and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School. Victims reportedly complained of stomach pains, dizziness, weakness and respiratory discomfort, while hospitals in Ijebu-Ode were overwhelmed by the influx of patients.
The Ogun State Government subsequently deployed emergency response teams and installed air quality monitoring equipment in the area. Data from the device later revealed elevated methane concentrations of about 13,500 parts per million within the monitoring zone, prompting authorities to launch a multi-agency environmental investigation.
Despite those measures, Wednesday’s recurrence has intensified concerns that the source of the emissions remains unresolved.
Parents who besieged the school premises after the latest incident expressed frustration over what they described as the government’s inability to identify and eliminate the cause of the recurring episodes.
Many demanded an independent environmental audit of the area, warning that repeated exposure to unidentified gases could pose long-term health risks to students and teachers.
Environmental experts have also raised concerns over the frequency of the incidents, noting that three occurrences within 64 days suggest the existence of a persistent emission source or repeated hazardous activity within the locality.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, had earlier assured residents that the government was working with environmental regulators, emergency responders and air quality experts to trace the source of the emissions and prevent further occurrences.
Yet, as another school day ended in panic on Wednesday, many residents said reassurance was no longer enough.
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