Gas Leak Forces Closure of Schools in Ogun, Over 100 Pupils Hospitalised

The Ogun State Government has closed some schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye, and Ijebu-Igbo. This happened after more than 100 pupils were taken to the hospital on Wednesday due to exposure to a bad gas.

The affected students were taken to the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital in Ijebu-Igbo, and other healthcare facilities for treatment.

The schools most affected include Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, Itamerin Comprehensive High School, and Ago-Iwoye.

Videos shared on social media showed some pupils fainting and being rushed to hospitals after inhaling the gas. The state government said this gas is methane.

A teacher from one of the affected schools, who asked to remain anonymous, said the incident started around 10am. Pupils and staff began to have trouble breathing and some fainted.

“The pupils and staff started inhaling the gas and began to have difficulty breathing. Some of them fainted and were rushed to hospitals,” the teacher said.

The teacher mentioned that some schools in Ago-Iwoye closed around 11am as the situation got worse.

“The worst-hit schools include Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School and Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode. Some parents who heard about the incident came to pick up their children because nobody knew what was happening,” the teacher said.

The teacher is worried that the gas emissions have been happening since April, putting pupils and school staff at risk.

“We are all anxious about our health and that of our pupils. I think it is taking the government too long to get to the root of this mysterious gas leakage. The government has to do something quickly before it gets too late,” the teacher added.

Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth time these gas emissions have been reported in the Ijebu area since April. This raises worries about the safety of pupils and residents.

But the state government has assured residents that the situation “is under control.”

In April, about 40 pupils were affected, and in May, over 120 pupils were hospitalised after another gas exposure. On June 1, 69 pupils also needed medical help.

After an earlier incident, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government was working with the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Department of Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University to find out what caused the emissions.

Abiodun mentioned that gas analysers were installed in affected schools after the first incident. Preliminary findings showed the gas was methane.

“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,” the governor said in June.

When contacted on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the government was managing the situation.

A senior special assistant to the governor and general manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, Kehinde Bello, visited affected areas in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo. He linked the latest incident to underground gas emissions seen before in the area.

Bello said the situation was under control and assured residents that the government would solve the ongoing problem.

He noted that government investigations showed this issue is a natural occurrence related to geological and tectonic fault lines, not sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.

Bello advised residents to stay calm and said the affected pupils are expected to recover after medical treatment. He also suggested that residents exposed to the smell should cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs instead of wearing nose masks.

PUNCH Metro reports that medical staff were attending to the affected students at various hospitals while this report was being written.

The latest incident has raised more concerns about the gas emissions and the risks to children, teachers, and other residents. There are calls for the government to identify the source and find a lasting solution.