Methane Emission: Over 30 Students Hospitalised As Odour Hits Ogun Schools
More than 30 students have received medical attention following a fresh underground gas-emission incident that affected schools and surrounding communities in Ogun State on Wednesday.
The incident affected Anglican Girls Grammar School, including its public and private sections, in Obalende, Ijebu-Ode, and Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School.
The odour also disrupted academic activities in Ago-Iwoye, forcing some schools to close and send pupils home.
The development triggered panic among parents and teachers, some of whom rushed to hospitals to check on the affected students.
The General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Kehinde Bello, said more than 30 students were treated at the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, with some requiring oxygen to stabilise their condition.
According to him, the affected students presented symptoms including shortness of breath, stomach disorders and drowsiness.
Most had been discharged by the time officials visited the hospital, while a few remained under observation.
Bello, who also visited Ijebu-Igbo for further assessment, said the odour was not restricted to schools, as residents in surrounding areas were also affected.
The chairman of Ijebu North Local Government reportedly confirmed perceiving the odour at the council secretariat.
He linked the latest occurrence to underground gas emissions previously recorded in Ijebu-Ode, adding that the state government was working towards finding a lasting solution.
Bello said preliminary investigations suggested that the phenomenon was associated with geological and tectonic fault lines rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
Residents exposed to the odour were advised to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs instead of wearing nose masks.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of pupils and residents in communities affected by recurring underground gas emissions.
In June 2026, the state government attributed similar incidents in parts of Ijebu-Ode to natural underground processes, dismissing speculation that they were linked to spiritual causes or security threats.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said investigations had identified methane and sulphide gases escaping through underground fractures along geological fault lines.
He identified the affected areas as lying along the Ifewara-Zungeru Trans-Atlantic fault line, which stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode towards Osun and Niger states.
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