By Ado Oyeyemi
The Ogun State Government has ordered the closure of some schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo after more than 100 pupils were reportedly hospitalised following another outbreak of suspected underground gas emissions.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, is the fourth reported occurrence of the mysterious emissions in the Ijebu area since April, raising fresh concerns over the safety of pupils, teachers and residents.
The affected pupils were taken to the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital in Ijebu-Igbo and other medical facilities for treatment after experiencing breathing difficulties and fainting.
Schools reportedly affected include Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode and Itamerin Comprehensive High School in Ago-Iwoye.
A video circulating on social media showed some pupils collapsing and being rushed to hospitals following exposure to the substance, which the state government had previously identified as methane.
A teacher at one of the affected schools, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on condition of anonymity, said the incident began at about 10am when pupils and staff started experiencing breathing difficulties.
“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.
According to the teacher, some schools in Ago-Iwoye closed around 11am as the situation worsened, while parents rushed to their children’s schools to take them home amid uncertainty over the source of the emissions.
The teacher expressed concern that the recurring incidents had continued since April, warning that the delay in identifying and addressing the source of the emissions was putting the health of pupils and staff at risk.
“We are all anxious about our health and that of our pupils. I think it is taking the government too long to get to the root of this mysterious gas leakage.
The government has to do something quickly before it gets too late,” the teacher said.
The latest occurrence follows a series of similar incidents recorded in the area in recent months.
In April, about 40 pupils were reportedly affected, while more than 120 were hospitalised after another exposure in May.
A subsequent incident on June 1 reportedly left 69 pupils requiring medical attention.
The repeated occurrences have intensified calls for a lasting solution to the emissions, which have continued to disrupt academic activities and expose schoolchildren to potential health risks.
Following an earlier incident, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government had commenced investigations in collaboration with the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Department of Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University.
The governor had also disclosed that gas analysers were installed in affected schools to monitor the situation, while preliminary findings suggested that methane was responsible for the emissions.
“Preliminary findings suggest there may be geological factors involved, possibly fault lines common to these locations, which could be responsible for the emissions.
“We are awaiting the final report from the professionals handling the investigation,” Abiodun said in June.
Speaking on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the government was monitoring the situation.
Also commenting on the incident, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, Kehinde Bello, attributed the latest occurrence to underground gas emissions previously recorded in the area.
Bello, who visited affected locations in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo, said investigations by the government suggested that the phenomenon was linked to natural geological processes associated with underground fault lines rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
He assured residents that the situation was under control and pledged that the government would work towards finding a lasting solution.
Bello added that the affected pupils were expected to recover after receiving medical attention.
He also advised residents exposed to the offensive odour to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs instead of wearing nose masks.
As of the time of filing this report, medical personnel were attending to affected pupils at various hospitals.
However, the recurring nature of the emissions, coupled with the latest mass hospitalisation, has renewed concerns about the adequacy of measures taken so far to protect schools and surrounding communities while investigations into the source of the gas continue.
