Several students of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, have been hospitalised following another suspected gas leak that affected the school community during school hours.
According to TheCable, the incident occurred on Wednesday when a strong and pungent odour spread across the school premises, causing breathing difficulties and discomfort among students and staff.
The affected students were reportedly taken to the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode for treatment. Authorities had not confirmed the exact number of victims as of the time of reporting.
Speaking to TheCable, Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident and said investigations had begun to determine 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 marks the third reported gas-related air pollution case in the Ijebu-Ode community within two months.
On April 1, at least 30 students of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School were hospitalised after a suspected gas leak on the school premises. At the time, students and teachers experienced breathing difficulties after fumes believed to have originated from nearby carbide cylinders spread across the area.
Following an inspection, Oresanya said environmental officials discovered a nearby bush and suspected it could have been the source of the fumes.
A similar incident was recorded on May 15 at Anglican Girls Grammar School in the same community. Several students reportedly fainted and were rushed to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for medical treatment.
In response to the repeated incidents, the Ogun State Government activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders and air quality experts.
According to Oresanya, the team was tasked with identifying the source of the emissions, assessing the extent of exposure risks and evaluating gases such as hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other atmospheric pollutants.
The state government is expected to release further findings as investigations into the latest incident continue.
