More than 30 students have received medical attention following another suspected gas emission incident at schools in Ogun State, months after the state government temporarily relocated students from an affected school in Ijebu-Ode over similar safety concerns.
The latest incident, which occurred on Wednesday, October 21, affected Anglican Girls Grammar School, including its public and private sections, in Obalende, Ijebu-Ode, and Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School. An unusual odour was also reported in Ago-Iwoye, prompting school authorities to close their schools and send students home.
The affected students were taken to general hospitals in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo for medical attention. Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the students presented symptoms including shortness of breath, stomach disorders and drowsiness. Some required oxygen to stabilise their conditions, while others received less intensive treatment.
Oresanya, who spoke during an assessment of the situation on Wednesday, said the government had commenced investigations to establish the source and extent of the emissions. He added that most of the affected students had been discharged by the time the assessment team left the hospital, although some remained under medical observation.
The government’s assessment team later visited Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School to examine the affected area. The chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area also confirmed that the unusual odour had been detected at the council secretariat. Officials from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission joined the assessment and investigation.
The latest occurrence has renewed concerns about the recurring emissions in the Ijebu axis, where several schools have reported similar incidents since April 2026. The repeated cases have raised questions about the source of the emissions and the measures required to protect students and school staff from further exposure.
Nigeria Education News had earlier reported on June 21, 2026, that the Ogun State Government temporarily relocated students of Our Lady of Apostles Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode following repeated gas-related incidents within the school environment.
During an assessment visit to the school, Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed that preliminary investigations had detected methane gas in the affected area. He said the relocation was a precautionary measure to protect students and staff while specialists investigated the source of the emissions.
The governor also said the state government was working with relevant regulatory agencies, the Ministries of Environment and Health, and geologists from Olabisi Onabanjo University to determine the cause. Preliminary findings at the time suggested that underground geological formations, potentially involving fault lines, could be contributing to the emissions.
Abiodun assured parents that students would not return to the affected school until experts confirmed that the environment was safe for learning. He also dismissed claims that the incidents were deliberate attacks on schools, saying the government was committed to establishing the facts.
However, the latest reports of unusual odours and student hospitalisations indicate that concerns about the phenomenon remain. The precise source of Wednesday’s emissions has not yet been established, and further investigation is needed to determine whether the latest incident is connected to the earlier cases.
In June, the state government’s preliminary explanation pointed to possible natural geological activity. The current investigation is expected to establish the source of the latest emissions and determine what caused the symptoms reported by students.
The recurring incidents have implications beyond the immediate health concerns. School closures and the evacuation of students can disrupt lessons, examinations and other academic activities, while uncertainty over the source of the emissions may heighten anxiety among parents, teachers and residents.
For affected school communities, a lasting resolution will depend on identifying the source of the emissions, communicating the findings clearly and implementing measures to prevent further exposure. Until the investigation establishes the risks and the appropriate safeguards, the safety of students and staff remains a central concern.
