The Ogun State government has again ordered the closure of some schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo following the hospitalisation of more than 100 pupils on Wednesday after suspected exposure to an offensive gaseous substance.
The affected pupils were rushed to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode; the General Hospital, Ijebu-Igbo; and other healthcare facilities for medical attention.
Among the worst-hit schools were Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, Itamerin Comprehensive High School and some schools in Ago-Iwoye.
A video circulating on social media showed pupils reportedly fainting and being rushed to hospitals following the incident.
The state government had previously identified the substance as methane, although the precise source of the recurring emissions remains under investigation.
A teacher at one of the affected schools, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the incident occurred at about 10am when pupils and staff began experiencing breathing difficulties, with some collapsing.
“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.
According to the teacher, some schools in Ago-Iwoye were forced to close at about 11am as the situation worsened.
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“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 also came to pick up their children because nobody knew what was happening,” the teacher added.
The teacher expressed concern over the recurring emissions, which have reportedly affected schools in the area since April, warning that pupils and staff continued to face potential health risks.
“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 said.
Wednesday’s incident was the fourth reported occurrence of gaseous emissions in the Ijebu area since April, raising fresh concerns about the safety of pupils, teachers and other residents.
In April, about 40 pupils were reportedly affected by the emissions, while more than 120 others were hospitalised following another incident in May.
A further occurrence on June 1 reportedly left 69 pupils requiring medical attention.
Schools previously affected included Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode; Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; and St Anthony Grammar School, Ijebu-Imusin, among others.
The latest incident has renewed calls for the state government to establish the precise source of the emissions and implement a lasting solution to prevent further exposure.
Following an earlier occurrence, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government was collaborating 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 determine the cause of the emissions.
Abiodun disclosed that gas analysers had been installed in affected schools after the initial incident, while preliminary findings pointed to methane as the substance involved.
“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 on top of the situation.
Also speaking, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant and General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, Kehinde Bello, who visited affected areas in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo, linked the latest incident to underground gas emissions previously recorded in the area.
Bello said the situation was under control, assuring residents that the government would work towards finding a lasting solution to the recurring problem.
He said the government’s investigations had indicated that the phenomenon was a natural occurrence associated with geological and tectonic fault lines, rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
Bello urged residents to remain calm, adding that the affected pupils were expected to recover after receiving medical attention.
He also advised residents exposed to the odour to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than wear nose masks.
As of the time of filing this report, medical personnel were attending to affected pupils at various hospitals.
The recurring incidents have heightened concerns over the potential health risks posed by the emissions, particularly to schoolchildren and teachers, with residents awaiting the outcome of investigations and the implementation of measures to prevent further occurrences.
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