BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

Recurring underground gas emissions have sparked fears among parents, students and residents in parts of Ogun State, following repeated incidents of fainting, breathing difficulties, dizziness, nausea, headaches and abdominal pains in schools across Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye.

The strange odour, which authorities have linked to methane and other underground gases, has forced temporary school closures and sent hundreds of students to hospitals, raising concerns about possible long-term health consequences.

As the Ogun State Government intensifies investigations into the source of the emissions, affected families are demanding urgent action to prevent further exposure and restore confidence in the safety of schools.

Students suffer recurring health complications

For 15-year-old Praise, the ordeal has become a distressing experience.

The student was among those exposed to the gas at school on Wednesday. Although she received emergency treatment, including oxygen, and was discharged later that day, she returned to the hospital on Thursday after continuing to experience weakness and chest pain.

Sitting listlessly in a hospital reception in Ijebu-Ode, Praise stared into space as her mother, Mrs Olorunye Idayat, registered her for further medical attention.

Recounting her daughter’s experience, Idayat said she was at work in Ago-Iwoye, about 18 kilometres away, when she first heard reports of the strange odour.

Concerned, she contacted one of her daughter’s teachers, who confirmed the incident. Another teacher subsequently called her to come and collect the girl.

According to her, an ambulance conveyed Praise to the hospital, where she was treated alongside other affected students.

“I was at work when we heard that something was smelling. I initially thought it might not be true, but I called one of the teachers in my daughter’s school, and she confirmed that they were handling it,” she said.

Idayat disclosed that her daughter had experienced similar incidents on several occasions.

“Two weeks ago, it happened, and I took her to the hospital at my workplace. About three times, she has been affected. On the other occasions, the students were released early before they inhaled too much of it,” she added.

Her daughter’s condition on Thursday forced her to seek further medical attention.

“This morning, she was still complaining of weakness and chest pain, so I had to bring her back to the hospital.

“I can’t continue like this. Is it not when a child is okay that she can study? I am tired and fed up,” she lamented.

Praise’s experience reflects a wider environmental and public health concern that has repeatedly disrupted academic activities in Ijebu-Ode and, more recently, neighbouring communities.

Repeated incidents raise alarm

Findings by FRONTLINE REPORTERS indicate that the reported emissions have occurred on several occasions between April and October 2026, affecting hundreds of students and teachers.

The first major incident was reported on April 1 at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode, where at least 30 students and a teacher were hospitalised after a gaseous substance spread across the school premises.

Some of the students reportedly collapsed, vomited and experienced breathing difficulties, prompting the school to arrange emergency medical assistance.

At the time, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the precise substance responsible for the incident had yet to be established.

The state government subsequently ordered the temporary closure of the school and directed that investigations be conducted.

On May 15, another emission reportedly affected more than 100 students and teachers at Anglican Girls Grammar School and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Epe, Ijebu-Ode.

The victims were taken to the Ogun State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode and private medical facilities for treatment.

A further incident occurred on June 3 at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, where students again reported symptoms after perceiving an unusual odour.

The PUNCH reported at the time that 69 students were hospitalised. The state Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, later confirmed that all the affected students had been discharged after receiving medical care.

The latest episode on Wednesday has heightened concerns, particularly because reports indicated that the emissions were also affecting schools in Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye.

Methane detected as government investigates

In June, Oresanya disclosed that gas analysers installed by the state government had detected methane in affected areas.

Methane is generally considered non-toxic in itself, but it can pose serious dangers when it accumulates in sufficient concentrations to displace oxygen. Exposure to oxygen-deficient air can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, impaired coordination, unconsciousness and, in severe cases, death.

Methane is also highly flammable and can create an explosion risk when it accumulates in enclosed spaces and encounters an ignition source.

Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government was working with relevant agencies and specialists to establish the cause of the recurring incidents.

The investigation involves the ministries of environment and health, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Department of Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University.

Abiodun explained that the timing and locations of previous incidents had raised the possibility of an underlying geological cause.

“Twice now, we have recorded cases of pollution in this school and some neighbouring schools. What is interesting is that the gas pollution occurred at about the same time in the affected schools—about three schools altogether—and this has happened on two separate occasions,” the governor said.

He added that gas analysers had been installed following the first incident to determine the nature and concentration of the emissions.

“Preliminary findings suggest there may be geological factors involved, possibly fault lines common to these locations, which could be responsible for the emissions. We are awaiting the final report from the professionals handling the investigation,” he said.

95 students treated in latest incident

The most recent incident reportedly caused several students to faint or experience breathing difficulties, chest pain, stomach complaints and drowsiness.

Images and videos circulated on social media on Wednesday showed anxious parents gathering at the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode following reports of the suspected gas exposure.

Affected schools reportedly included Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School and Itamerin Comprehensive High School in Ago-Iwoye, among others.

Some students were taken to the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, while others received treatment at the General Hospital in Ijebu-Igbo and other medical facilities.

A staff member at the State Hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that 95 students had been treated following the latest episode.

“We attended to and treated 95 students, and all of them were discharged yesterday (Wednesday). It had to do with breathing problems. All of them were complaining of chest pain,” the staff member said.

“There were some we revived with oxygen, and we attended to all of them. This is the fourth time it is happening, and as it is happening here at Ijebu-Ode, I heard that it was happening at Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye, which are far from here,” he added.

The hospital worker appealed to parents to remain calm and allow medical personnel to attend to patients during emergencies.

He said the hospital had experienced considerable pressure during previous incidents, as worried parents sometimes crowded emergency areas while seeking immediate attention for their children.

When FRONTLINE REPORTERS visited Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode on Thursday, only a handful of students were seen on the premises, alongside some members of staff, including teachers and school administrators.

A staff member who spoke about the latest episode said the school had been crowded with students during the incident.

“There were many students, and everywhere was crowded,” the staff member said.

Parents fear long-term health consequences

Beyond the immediate medical concerns, parents are worried about the possible long-term effects of repeated exposure to the unidentified mixture of gases.

Mrs Yetunde Joseph, a parent, said the absence of reported deaths had not eliminated concerns about the safety of the affected children.

“Although since this started, no one died, there are possibilities that this may be causing damage to their body that no one knows. I hope this thing that we are inhaling with our children won’t affect us in the future,” she said.

The Secretary of the Ijebu-Ode Parents Forum, Adetayo Adegbenro, confirmed that the affected students were treated free of charge but urged the government to intensify efforts to find a permanent solution.

He said the recurring incidents had created anxiety among parents, some of whom were becoming apprehensive about sending their children to school.

“To the government, even though we have seen their impact, they should try more and ensure this strange odour ends because it is making parents scared of bringing their children to school for fear of recurrence,” Adegbenro said.

“Our students in Ijebu-Ode are committed to education, and we don’t want anything that will discourage them from schooling. Government should help us to check it very well and give a lasting solution to it,” he added.

Adegbenro said parents had also received advice on precautionary measures, including ensuring that their children ate before leaving for school and carried handkerchiefs that could be dampened if the odour was detected.

However, such precautions cannot replace the need to identify the gas mixture, determine its concentration and establish appropriate safety measures for the affected communities.

Schools adopt precautionary measures

Roseline Onasanya, Vice Principal of Our Lady of Apostles Senior School, said the strange odour had not returned to her school since the April incident.

According to her, environmental officials visited the premises after the first episode, and the school was temporarily closed before reopening following a stakeholders’ meeting.

She added that surveillance cameras had subsequently been installed.

“It only happened on April 1. Environmentalists came, and the school was closed. Later, it was reopened after a stakeholders’ meeting. Then they placed CCTV here, and since then, it has not happened here again,” she said.

Onasanya said the school had also advised students to keep water and handkerchiefs available as precautionary measures.

“We kept water in their class, and we told the children to always have their handkerchiefs with them so that whenever they perceive the smell, they quickly dip it into the water and cover their nose with it,” she added.

Meanwhile, residents and traders in the affected communities said they had also noticed the odour, although they had not necessarily required medical attention.

A commercial motorcyclist, Niyi Adepegba, said the smell was noticeable almost daily in some locations.

“We perceive it every day, but since it does not affect you, there is no need to go to the hospital. It is only children that are affected,” he said.

A food seller identified as Mummy Ola said the odour sometimes reached the market.

“It smells sometimes but not all the time. We smell it even in the market. What can we do? Government should help us out because it is our children that have been affected,” she said.

Government promises intervention

Responding to the latest incident, Oresanya said the government had previously warned residents that the emissions could recur and had outlined measures to respond when they did.

He explained that the government had promised to use installed sensors to detect changes and alert the affected communities.

“The last time we gave this feedback to the parents at the stakeholders’ forum, we didn’t tell them that was the end. We said it can recur, and we said, ‘What do you do if it recurs?’” he said.

“We promised there would be a trigger from our sensors, and we would inform the community. Once you get the information, what you need to do is to have your handkerchief and water; don’t panic,” he added.

The commissioner urged residents experiencing symptoms following suspected exposure to seek prompt medical attention at the nearest government hospital. He specifically cautioned people with asthma to take the risk seriously.

He also said the state government would bear the cost of treatment, including for affected persons who sought care at private hospitals.

According to him, ambulances had been stationed around Ijebu-Ode to facilitate emergency responses.

Oresanya warned residents against completely sealing their homes in an attempt to keep the gas out, explaining that methane could become dangerous if it accumulated indoors and came into contact with an ignition source.

He said investigations had established the presence of methane and other gases believed to be emerging from underground sources.

“The fact that has been established is that we have methanogenic gases, that is, methane and other gases, and that is what is coming out. Because these gases have a high appetite for oxygen, when people inhale them, they deprive them of oxygen, and they feel dizzy,” he said.

The commissioner maintained that preliminary investigations suggested the emissions were not caused by human activities in the affected communities but were associated with underground geological conditions.

He said the gas could be coming from shallow underground reservoirs, located at depths of up to about 150 metres, or from deeper geological formations.

Further analysis, he added, was necessary to determine the precise source. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited could also be involved because of its capacity and authority to undertake drilling operations.

Oresanya explained that if the gas originated from a shallow reservoir, it might be possible to decompress and extract it for commercial use. A deeper geological source, however, could present different technical and environmental challenges.

Sympathising with worried families, the commissioner acknowledged that the recurring incidents were a legitimate cause for concern but urged residents to remain calm while the investigation continued.

“As a parent, if I find myself in the same shoes, I will be worried, and I really want to sympathise with them. But as a regulator, and because I have the knowledge, I will tell them that they can be worried and not panic.

“We are worried too; the governor is worried, and I am worried, but we will not panic. Please don’t panic; your government is responding,” he said.

Relocation possible if health risks are confirmed

In an interview on Frontline on Eagle 102.5 FM on Thursday, Oresanya said further investigations were necessary to establish the full extent of the potential health risks.

He indicated that relocating affected residents could become necessary if the findings showed that continued exposure posed a serious threat to human health.

“All we can do, until we find out that this may kill or affect their health permanently, is relocate them immediately,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kehinde Bello, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor and General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, visited affected areas in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo.

Bello linked the latest episode to the underground gas emissions previously reported in the area, assuring residents that the situation was under control and that the government was working towards a lasting solution.

He said preliminary government findings suggested a natural phenomenon associated with geological and tectonic fault lines rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.

Bello urged residents to remain calm and expressed optimism that the affected students would recover following medical treatment.

He also advised people who detected the odour to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than rely on ordinary nose masks.

However, with the source and composition of the emissions still requiring further investigation, the recurring incidents have left parents and residents awaiting more definitive answers.

For families whose children have repeatedly suffered symptoms after exposure, the priority remains clear: establish the source of the gases, determine the health risks, provide reliable emergency warnings and implement a lasting solution that will allow students to return to school without fear of another episode.

ADVERTISEMENTS