Ogun State response after chemical odour hits 90 students

Ogun State officials have launched an emergency environmental and public‑health response after a chemical odour episode that sickened more than 90 students in Ijebu‑Ode. The incident, confirmed in a statement posted on the Ogun State Government’s official social‑media channel, follows a similar outbreak reported in the area a month earlier.

Students from several schools – including Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu‑Ode Grammar School and Sambadola Private School – complained of abdominal pain, nausea and related symptoms. Health workers were dispatched to treat the affected pupils, and many were taken to nearby clinics for further care.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu visited the schools, inspected the conditions of the students receiving treatment and urged residents to remain calm while investigations continue.

Kehinde Bello, General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), said the state’s air‑quality monitoring device, installed at Ijebu‑Ode Grammar School, recorded a spike in methane concentrations reaching approximately 13,500 parts per million in the surrounding area. Although the reading is below the lower explosive limit, Bello warned that the level is environmentally significant and calls for immediate technical investigation and precautionary measures.

In response, the government has assembled a multi‑agency task force comprising environmental regulators, emergency services, public‑health experts and air‑quality specialists to pinpoint the source of the odour. Residents have been advised to avoid open flames or any ignition sources in zones where the gas smell is present and to report symptoms such as dizziness, headaches or breathing difficulties to the nearest medical facility.

“The Ogun State Government remains committed to safeguarding public health, protecting the environment and ensuring the wellbeing of its residents,” the statement read.

The situation underscores growing concerns about industrial emissions and air‑quality monitoring in rapidly urbanising parts of Nigeria. Authorities say they will release further updates as the investigation progresses and as mitigation measures are put in place.