Fresh gas leak hospitalises students in Ogun community

Several students of Our Lady of Apostles secondary school, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state, were hospitalised after a suspected gas leak engulfed the school premises, marking the third such incident recorded in the community within two months.

The incident occurred during school hours on Wednesday when a strong, pungent odour spread across the school, causing breathing difficulties and discomfort among students and teachers.

The affected victims were rushed to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for treatment, although the exact number of those hospitalised had yet to be confirmed as of press time.

Confirming the development, Ola Oresanya, the Ogun state commissioner for environment, Ola Oresanya said government authorities had launched investigations to determine the source of the emission.

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

The latest incident comes barely two months after a similar occurrence at the same school on April 1, when about 30 students were hospitalised following a suspected gas leak.

At the time, students and teachers reportedly experienced breathing difficulties after fumes believed to have emanated from nearby carbide cylinders spread through the school environment.

Another pollution scare was also recorded on May 15 at Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, where several students reportedly fainted after inhaling suspected toxic fumes.

Following that incident, the state government activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team to investigate the cause and assess the health risks posed by the emissions.

Oresanya said the team was mandated to identify the source of the pollution, determine the extent of exposure, and evaluate the presence of hazardous gases, including hydrogen sulphide and volatile organic compounds.

The recurring incidents have raised fresh concerns among residents and education stakeholders over environmental safety in the Ijebu-Ode area, with many calling for urgent measures to prevent further occurrences and protect students and staff in affected schools.