More than 100 students from different schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, have been reportedly hospitalized on Friday following another outbreak of a strange chemical odour that spread across parts of the ancient city, causing panic among residents and disrupting academic activities.
The incident occurred barely one month after a similar outbreak was recorded at Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, raising fresh concerns over recurring environmental and public health hazards within the area.
Witnesses according to a local report posted on Facebook, said the unusual odour quickly spread through several parts of the town, prompting anxious parents and guardians to rush to schools to pick up their children amid fears over possible health implications.
Medical personnel attending to victims disclosed that many of the affected students complained of abdominal pain, dizziness, headaches and other related symptoms suspected to be linked to inhalation of contaminated air.
Schools reportedly affected include: • Our Lady of Apostles School
• Anglican Girls Grammar School
• Ijebu-Ode Grammar School
• Sambadola Private School
Residents in neighbouring communities also reported perceiving the strange odour around parts of the town, further heightening fear and uncertainty among members of the public.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, visited the affected areas and appealed to parents and residents to remain calm while medical personnel attended to victims.
According to him, both federal and state environmental agencies had been contacted for urgent intervention and technical assessment of the situation.
Speaking on the development, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Kehinde Bello, disclosed that the Air Quality Monitoring Device installed at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School detected elevated methane concentrations within parts of Ijebu-Ode.
Bello revealed that the device recorded peak methane readings of approximately 13,500 parts per million in surrounding locations affected by the odour.
He explained that the monitoring equipment was deployed as part of the Ogun State Government’s environmental surveillance programme aimed at early detection of abnormal air quality conditions and prompt public health response.
According to him, although the methane concentration remains below the lower explosive limit, the readings are environmentally significant and require urgent technical investigation and precautionary measures.
The state government has consequently activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team involving environmental regulators, emergency responders and technical air quality experts to investigate the source of the emissions and assess possible exposure risks.
Residents have been advised to remain calm, continue normal activities and avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are perceived.
Authorities also urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention.
The recurring incidents have continued to raise serious concerns among residents over environmental safety, air quality monitoring and public health protection within Ijebu-Ode and neighbouring communities
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