A fresh gas leak incident has struck Ijebu Ode in Ogun State for the second time in less than two months, leaving over 100 students and teachers from several schools affected and requiring urgent medical attention.
The affected institutions include Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, and Our Lady of Apostle Secondary School, Epe Garage, where students reportedly began experiencing sudden health distress during school hours.
Victims were rushed to the Ogun State Hospital, Ijebu Ode, as well as several private medical facilities within the area. Videos circulating online showed chaotic scenes of students fleeing school premises, while teachers assisted unconscious pupils into vehicles for emergency treatment.
An eyewitness at the hospital described the situation as more severe than the previous incident, noting that medical facilities were overwhelmed as parents rushed to transfer their children to private hospitals. Affected individuals reportedly complained of stomach pain, dizziness, and general weakness.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident and said relevant government agencies had been deployed to the affected locations to investigate and respond.
Officials including the Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and the Managing Director of OGEPA, Kenny Bello, were also seen visiting the affected sites to assess the situation and ensure proper medical response.
Preliminary air quality monitoring at Ijebu Ode Grammar School detected elevated methane levels, with peak readings of about 13,500 parts per million recorded in surrounding areas. Although authorities noted the concentration remained below the lower explosive limit, they described the readings as environmentally significant and requiring urgent investigation.
The state government has since announced plans to deploy a multi-agency team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality specialists to identify the source of the emissions, assess exposure risks, and check for the presence of other hazardous gases.
Residents have been advised to remain calm, avoid open flames in areas where unusual gas odours are detected, and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, or breathing difficulties.
This latest incident comes months after a similar gas leak in April, which left at least 30 students and a teacher hospitalised at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in the same area after a suspected gaseous substance spread across the school premises.