Saturday, May 16, 2026 - At least 100 students and teachers were hospitalised on Friday, May 15, following an exposure to a suspected chemical odour in some schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The schools reportedly affected include Anglican Girls
Grammar School, Obalende, and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe
Garage.
According to reports, some students complained of stomach
aches, weakness and breathing difficulties after inhaling the substance.
The affected students were rushed to the State Hospital,
Ijebu-Ode, and some were taken to private medical facilities for
treatment.
The Ogun Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya,
confirmed the incident, saying relevant agencies had commenced necessary
interventions.
Mr Oresanya said the ministry of education, ministry of
environment, security agencies, and local government authorities were jointly
handling the situation.
In a statement issued on Friday, the commissioner said an
Air Quality Monitoring Device installed at Ijebu Ode Grammar School detected
elevated methane concentrations.
He explained that the device recorded methane concentrations
of about 13,500 parts per million (ppm) in surrounding areas.
Mr Oresanya said the methane concentration remained below
the lower explosive limit but required immediate technical investigation and
precautionary measures.
He said the state government would activate a multi-agency
environmental and public health assessment team to investigate the
incident.
He added that the team would determine the emission source,
assess exposure risks and evaluate other associated gases in the
environment.
The commissioner advised residents to remain calm and go
about their normal activities while avoiding open flames near areas with
unusual gas odours.
He also urged residents experiencing dizziness, headaches,
nausea or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention.
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