Many Students Hospitalised as Fresh Gas Leak Strikes Ogun School Community

Several students of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were taken to hospital after a suspected gas leak affected the school on Wednesday, marking the third such incident reported in the community within two months.

Witnesses said a strong and unpleasant odour spread across the school premises during classes, leaving students and staff struggling to breathe and causing widespread panic.

Although the exact number of affected persons was not immediately available, those impacted were reportedly rushed to the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode for treatment.

Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the government had launched an investigation to identify the source of the emission.

“Yes, it’s true. It happened yesterday,” Oresanya said. “We are working to find the cause of the leakage. We will soon issue an official statement on it.”

The latest incident follows a similar occurrence on April 1 at the same school, when at least 30 students were hospitalised after inhaling suspected toxic fumes. Several teachers were also affected as the fumes spread across the school environment.

Following an inspection at the time, state officials discovered a nearby bush and suggested that the emissions might have originated from the area, where carbide cylinders were suspected to be present.

The community experienced another air pollution scare on May 15 when students of Anglican Girls Grammar School reportedly fainted after a suspected gas leak. Many of the affected students were also taken to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for medical attention.

In response to the recurring incidents, Oresanya said the state government had deployed a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team. The team comprises environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality experts tasked with determining the source of the emissions and assessing potential health risks.

According to the commissioner, investigators are examining the extent of exposure and monitoring atmospheric pollutants, including hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other potentially harmful gases.