More than 90 students were rushed to hospital on Friday after a suspected chemical odour spread across several schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, triggering panic among residents and forcing the evacuation of thousands of pupils.
The incident affected a number of secondary schools, including Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Adeola Odutola Secondary School and St. Anthony Esure School.
Witnesses said the strange smell swept through parts of the town in the early hours of the day, causing students to complain of abdominal pain, dizziness and discomfort.
The development sparked panic among parents and guardians, many of whom hurried to schools to evacuate their children.
Emergency responders were deployed to the affected areas, while dozens of students were taken to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for medical attention.
Medical personnel at the hospital confirmed that many of the affected students reported severe stomach pain and other health-related symptoms linked to the odour.
Residents in nearby communities also said they noticed the unusual smell, raising fears of possible environmental contamination.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, later visited the hospital and appealed to parents to remain calm as authorities respond to the situation.
He said both state and federal environmental agencies had been mobilised to investigate the source of the odour and prevent further exposure.
Also speaking, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, Kehinde Bello, disclosed that an Air Quality Monitoring Device installed at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School detected unusually high methane gas concentrations in parts of the town.
According to him, the device recorded methane levels of about 13,500 parts per million in surrounding areas, although the concentration remained below the explosive threshold.
Bello explained that the air monitoring system forms part of the state government’s environmental surveillance programme designed to detect abnormal air quality conditions and support rapid public health intervention.
He added that the government had activated a multi-agency emergency response involving environmental experts, health officials and emergency responders to determine the source of the contamination.
Residents were advised to avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are noticed and to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches or breathing difficulties.
Authorities said investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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