Tension as over 100 pupils hospitalised, schools shut, details emerge

• The Ogun State Government shut schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye, and Ijebu-Igbo after more than 100 pupils were hospitalised following gas exposure on Wednesday
• A teacher at one of the affected schools said pupils and staff began fainting around 10am after inhaling a substance the government previously identified as methane
• Wednesday's incident was the fourth time the gaseous emissions hit the Ijebu area since April, with hundreds of pupils affected across multiple occurrences

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Ogun State - The Governor Dapo Abiodun-led Ogun State Government has again ordered the closure of schools in parts of Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo after more than 100 pupils were hospitalised on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

The schools were shut following fresh exposure to an offensive gaseous substance in the area.

Affected pupils were taken to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital, Ijebu-Igbo, and other healthcare facilities, where medical personnel were attending to them.

Schools Hit by Wednesday's Incident

Among the worst-affected schools were Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, Itamerin Comprehensive High School, and schools in Ago-Iwoye.

As reported by The Punch, a teacher at one of the schools, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the trouble began around 10am when pupils and staff started struggling to breathe.

"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.

Some schools in Ago-Iwoye shut their gates around 11am as the situation worsened. Parents who heard about the incident also rushed to collect their children.

The teacher said the emissions had been recurring since April and warned that the government needed to act faster.

"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.

The latest incident was the fourth recorded occurrence since April. About 40 pupils were affected in April, more than 120 were hospitalised in May, and 69 needed medical care following another incident on June 1.

Schools previously caught up in earlier episodes include Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode, and St Anthony Grammar School, Ijebu-Imusin.

Government's response to gas emissions

Governor Dapo Abiodun said in June that his administration 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 the cause of the emissions.

He said gas analysers had been installed in affected schools and that preliminary findings pointed to 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.

According to Guardian, the state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, linked the incident to previous underground gas emissions that have occurred intermittently in Ijebu-Ode since April 2026.

Kehinde Bello, a senior special assistant to the governor and general manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, who visited affected communities, said investigations suggested the emissions were a natural geological phenomenon linked to tectonic fault lines rather than a pipeline leak or sabotage.

Bello urged residents exposed to the smell to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than nose masks.

He said the affected pupils were expected to recover after receiving treatment.

Rivers community reports gas bubbling under water

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the federal government launched an investigation into reports of gas seepage in the Bille community of Rivers state.

Residents reported unusual bubbling in nearby water bodies, prompting authorities to activate a joint response.

Relevant agencies, including the NUPRC and NOSDRA, have begun field investigations, as the government assures safety.

Source: Legit.ng