More than 100 secondary school students and teachers were rushed to emergency wards on Wednesday morning after a suspected natural gas leak hit Ogun schools across the Ijebu axis of Ogun State.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 AM, disrupting classes and triggering widespread panic as a pungent, toxic odour spread across school grounds. The affected institutions include the public and private wings of Anglican Girls Grammar School in Obalende, Ijebu-Ode; Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School; and Itamerin Comprehensive High School in Ago-Iwoye.
Eye witnesses reported that several students suffered acute breathing difficulties, severe dizziness, and loss of consciousness before emergency responders arrived. Academic activities were promptly halted, with schools in Ago-Iwoye shutting down completely to evacuate pupils. Victims were evacuated to the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode and the General Hospital in Ijebu-Igbo, where medical personnel administered emergency treatment.
Addressing concerns over the source of the fumes, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Kehinde Bello, confirmed that initial scientific readings identified the substance as methane. Bello dismissed allegations of pipeline vandalism, illegal chemical dumping, or commercial gas pipeline breaches, attributing the emissions to a natural phenomenon associated with shifting underground geological fault lines.
The incident marks the fourth time a gas leak hits Ogun schools within the same corridor this year, following similar occurrences in April, May, and June that previously prompted temporary relocations of pupils. Environmental specialists note that concentrated methane functions as an asphyxiant by rapidly displacing oxygen in both open and confined spaces, creating acute hypoxia risks for children.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, visited the health facilities to assess the condition of admitted students and confirmed that specialised gas monitoring teams remain deployed in the area. OGEPA advised residents exposed to the odour to remain calm and cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than dry cloth masks to mitigate inhalation while long-term containment solutions are finalised.
