May 15, (THEWILL) — Panic erupted across several schools in Ijebu-Ode on Friday after a strange gas odour spread through parts of the town, forcing the mass evacuation of thousands of students and leaving more than 90 hospitalised with varying health complications.
The incident disrupted academic activities across parts of the town as frightened parents and guardians stormed schools to evacuate their children following reports of severe abdominal pain, dizziness and respiratory discomfort among students exposed to the odour.
Emergency responders moved swiftly to evacuate thousands of students from affected schools and transported many of them to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, where medical personnel attended to the victims.
Hospital sources disclosed that many of the affected students complained of stomach pain, nausea and general discomfort after inhaling the strange substance believed to have contaminated the air in parts of the town.
Among schools affected by the incident were Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Adeola Odutola Secondary School and St. Anthony Esure School, among several others.
Residents in neighbouring communities also reported perceiving the strange odour, raising concerns about possible environmental contamination and public health risks.
Confirming the development, Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, appealed to parents and residents to remain calm, assuring them that medical personnel and emergency agencies were already responding effectively to the situation.
He disclosed that both federal and state environmental agencies had been mobilised to investigate the source of the strange odour and contain its impact on residents and schoolchildren.
Speaking on the development, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, Hon. Kehinde Bello, revealed that an Air Quality Monitoring Device installed at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School detected unusually high concentrations of methane gas in parts of the town.
According to Bello, the monitoring equipment recorded methane gas levels of approximately 13,500 parts per million (ppm) in surrounding areas.
He described the development as environmentally significant, though still below the explosive threshold.
Bello explained that the air quality monitoring system is part of the Ogun State Government’s environmental surveillance initiative aimed at detecting abnormal atmospheric conditions and enabling rapid public health intervention whenever necessary.
He further disclosed that the state government had activated a multi-agency environmental and public health emergency response team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders and air quality experts to determine the source of the contamination.
Residents were advised to avoid open flames, sparks and other ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are perceived, pending the conclusion of investigations.
Bello also urged members of the public experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention at nearby health facilities.
“The Ogun State Government remains committed to protecting lives and ensuring public safety while investigations continue”, he assured.
The Environmental Protection Agency boss also visited affected schools to assess the extent of the incident and monitor emergency response efforts.
As of the time of filing this report, investigations into the source of the methane emissions were ongoing, while medical officials continued to monitor affected students receiving treatment at the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode.
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