By Editor Drealomalicha Emmanuella
About 30 students at Our Lady Apostles Secondary School in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were taken to hospital on Wednesday after a suspected gas leak caused panic on the school premises.
Witnesses said the incident began when a strong, unusual smell spread across the school, leaving both students and teachers struggling to breathe. Classrooms quickly descended into confusion as some pupils felt dizzy and unwell.
Emergency responders moved swiftly, and the affected students were rushed to the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode for treatment.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident, reassuring the public that most of the students are now in stable condition, with several already discharged.
Speaking on the situation, Oresanya said the authorities are still working to determine the exact cause of the fumes. He noted that there are no gas pipelines, industrial facilities, or gas vendors in the immediate area, making the source of the leak unclear.
He added that officials are exploring the possibility that the fumes may have come from nearby human activity. During an inspection, a bush close to the school was identified as a potential source, with suspicions that individuals working with metals may have been using carbide cylinders in the area.
Teachers at the school also reported that the smell resembled carbide, raising concerns that a cylinder may have exploded nearby.
Oresanya, who was on the ground with his team in Ijebu-Ode, assured parents and residents that a thorough investigation is ongoing and that more details will be made available as soon as possible.
For now, the school community is left shaken, but relieved that no lives were lost and that those affected are recovering.
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