More than 100 students and teachers were reportedly affected after a gas leak incident struck several schools in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on Friday.
The incident happened less than two months after a similar gas leak was reported in the area, raising fresh concerns among residents, parents, and school authorities.
Schools reportedly affected include Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, and Our Lady of Apostle Secondary School located around Epe Garage in Ijebu Ode.
According to eyewitness accounts, many students suddenly experienced breathing difficulties, weakness, stomach pain, and dizziness during school hours. Some reportedly fainted as panic spread across the affected schools.
Videos shared online showed students rushing out of classrooms while teachers and emergency responders assisted victims into vehicles for medical treatment.
Several affected students and teachers were taken to the Ogun State Hospital in Ijebu Ode, while others were moved to nearby private hospitals for urgent care.
An eyewitness who spoke anonymously described the situation as more serious than the earlier incident recorded in April.
He said the hospital was overcrowded with affected students, adding that many parents immediately rushed their children to private medical facilities for treatment.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident and said emergency response teams had already been deployed to the affected locations.
According to him, officials from the Ministry of Education, Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), security agencies, and local government authorities are currently investigating the situation.
The state government also disclosed that air quality monitoring devices installed in the area detected elevated methane gas levels around Ijebu Ode.
A statement from the government explained that methane concentrations reached about 13,500 parts per million in some monitored areas.
Authorities, however, noted that the level recorded remained below the lower explosive limit but still required urgent environmental investigation.
The government added that a multi-agency assessment team has been activated to identify the source of the emissions and evaluate possible health risks linked to the gas leak.
Residents were advised to stay calm, avoid open flames in areas with unusual gas smells, and immediately report symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, or breathing discomfort to nearby health facilities.
Officials also assured residents that updates would be provided as investigations continue.
The latest development comes weeks after another gas leak incident reportedly hospitalised several students and a teacher in Ijebu Ode earlier this year.