(Students to Hospital. Photo by Daily Trust)
A fresh gas leak incident has struck Ijebu Ode in Ogun State for the second time in less than two months, this time affecting over 100 students and teachers across multiple schools in the town.
Several institutions were impacted, including Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, and Our Lady of Apostle Secondary School, Epe Garage.
Affected students were rushed to the Ogun State Hospital in Ijebu Ode as well as various private medical facilities in the area. Videos circulating online captured the chaos, showing students fleeing their school premises while teachers helped those who had lost consciousness into vehicles for urgent medical attention.
An eyewitness at the hospital described the situation as far more severe than the previous incident, noting that the hospital was overwhelmed with patients and that some parents had taken their children to private facilities. Victims reportedly complained of stomach aches and general weakness.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident and stated that relevant agencies had been mobilized to the affected areas.
Local government officials, including the Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and the Managing Director of OGEPA, Kenny Bello, were spotted visiting the scene to assess the situation and ensure victims received proper care.
Air quality monitoring equipment installed at Ijebu Ode Grammar School detected elevated methane levels in the area, with peak readings of approximately 13,500 parts per million recorded in surrounding locations.
While authorities noted that the methane concentration remained below the lower explosive limit, they described it as environmentally significant and warranting thorough investigation.
In response, the state government announced plans to deploy a multi-agency team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality experts to determine the source of the emissions, assess exposure risks, and evaluate the presence of other hazardous gases.
Residents were advised to stay calm, avoid open flames in areas where unusual gas odors are detected, and seek medical attention if they experience dizziness, headaches, nausea, or breathing difficulties.
This latest incident follows a similar gas leak in April, during which at least 30 students and one teacher were hospitalized at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in the same town after a gaseous substance spread across the school premises shortly after morning assembly.
