Gas leak hits Ogun school, scores hospitalised for third time in two months

Fear and anxiety have gripped residents of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, following another gas leak at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, which left scores of students and staff hospitalised.

This is the third time such is happening in the area within two months.

The latest episode occurred on Wednesday during school hours when students and teachers reportedly perceived a strange and pungent odour, leading to breathing difficulties, dizziness, weakness and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.

Those affected were rushed to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for emergency treatment, while some were reportedly still receiving medical care as of Thursday.

The recurring incidents have heightened concerns among residents, who are calling for urgent government action to avert a potential disaster.

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“This is the third time in two months. The government must get to the root of this problem before it is too late,” a resident said.

Confirming the incident, Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said authorities had traced the source of the gas emissions to an area behind Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School near Epe Garage in Ijebu-Ode.

He explained that monitoring equipment installed by the state government helped identify the source of the emissions, while a multi-agency team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders and air-quality specialists had been deployed to investigate the situation.

The latest incident came barely weeks after a similar episode on April 1, when about 30 students were hospitalised following a suspected gas leak at the school.

About six weeks later, another air pollution incident, also linked to gas emissions, affected more than 100 students and teachers at Anglican Girls Grammar School in the same community.

Oresanya said experts were assessing the source of the emissions, the extent of exposure and the possible presence of hazardous gases, including hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as authorities intensify efforts to prevent a recurrence and safeguard public health.