More than 100 students across several secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo areas of Ogun State were hospitalised on Wednesday after another suspected gas emission left students and staff struggling to breathe, with some fainting.
The incident, which occurred at about 10 a.m., is the fourth reported occurrence of gaseous emissions disrupting school activities in Ijebu land since April 2026 .
THE SCHOOLS AFFECTED
The worst-hit schools included Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, and Itamerin Comprehensive High School in Ago-Iwoye.
Affected students were taken to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital, Ijebu-Igbo, and other healthcare facilities for medical attention.
A video circulating on social media showed some of the affected students fainting and being rushed to hospitals as panic spread across the affected communities .
“WE COULDN’T BREATHE”
A teacher in one of the affected schools, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the terror of the incident.
“The students and staff started inhaling the gas and began to have difficulty breathing. Some of them fainted and had to be rushed to hospitals,” the teacher said.
According to the teacher, some schools in Ago-Iwoye were forced to close for the day at about 11 a.m. as the situation worsened.
“Some of the schools in Ago-Iwoye had to close for the day when the situation became frightening and unbearable,” the teacher added.
Parents who heard about the incident rushed to their children’s schools to take them home amid fears for their safety.
THE RECURRING CRISIS
Wednesday’s incident is the fourth time gaseous emissions have caused panic and disrupted school activities in Ijebu land since April 2026.
The first reported incident in April affected about 40 students.
More than 120 students were reportedly hospitalised following another exposure in May.
Another 69 students were hospitalised on June 1
Schools affected in previous incidents included Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode; Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; and St Anthony Grammar School, Ijebu-Imusin .
THE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE
The Ogun State Government has assured residents that the situation is under control.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said more than 30 students received treatment at the General Hospital during an assessment visit by government officials, while others were taken to different hospitals .
Medical findings indicated symptoms including shortness of breath, stomach disorders and drowsiness. While some required oxygen to stabilise their conditions, others received less intensive medical attention.
Most of the students had been discharged by the time the assessment team left the hospital, while a few remained under observation .
“WE ARE ON TOP OF THE SITUATION”
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the government was monitoring the situation. “We are on top of the situation,” he said.
Kehinde Bello, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, who was on the ground to assess the situation, linked the latest occurrence to underground gas emissions previously recorded in Ijebu-Ode since April 2026.
Bello said government investigations had indicated that the phenomenon was a natural occurrence associated with geological and tectonic fault lines, rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION
Governor Dapo Abiodun had previously said the state government was working 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 the cause of the emissions.
Following earlier incidents, gas analysers were installed in affected schools. The gas was identified 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,” Abiodun said.
The Commissioner for Environment had earlier identified the Ifewara-Zungeru Trans-Atlantic fault line as a major factor, noting that it stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode to Osun and Niger states.
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Bello advised residents exposed to the odour to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than wear nose masks.
He urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the affected students were expected to recover after receiving medical attention.
WHY IT MATTERS
The recurrence of gas emissions in Ijebu land is no longer a mystery. It is a pattern.
Four times in six months, students have been rushed to hospitals. Four times, schools have been shut. Four times, parents have rushed to schools in fear.
The government has identified the cause, methane escaping through geological fault lines—and installed monitoring equipment.
But the emissions continue.
For the students and teachers of Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo, the question is not whether the gas will return. It is when.
ValidViewNetwork reports that investigations are ongoing. The government has promised a lasting solution. The students are back home, but the fear remains.