Tension gripped Ijebu Ode on Friday after a suspected gas leak at Anglican Girls Grammar School caused an air pollution incident that left several students hospitalised.
Many students fainted and were rushed to Ijebu Ode General Hospital, where anxious parents gathered as victims arrived in ambulances. Videos from the scene showed parents crying and wailing as they tried to identify their children.
The incident comes just over a month after at least 30 students from Our Lady Apostles Secondary School in the same town were hospitalised for a similar suspected leak.
Ogun Commissioner for Environment Ola Oresanya said air quality monitors at the school detected elevated methane levels, with readings peaking at about 13,500 parts per million in surrounding areas. He said the concentration was below the explosive limit but “environmentally significant” and required immediate investigation.
The state has activated a multi-agency team of environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality experts to trace the source and assess risks from methane, hydrogen sulphide, and other gases.
Residents were advised to remain calm, avoid open flames where gas odours are detected, and seek medical attention for symptoms like dizziness, headaches, and nausea.
