By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
For more than two months, a troubling environmental mystery has cast a shadow over Ijebu-Ode and neighbouring communities in Ogun State, turning classrooms into scenes of panic and leaving parents, teachers and government officials searching for answers.
What began as an isolated incident at a secondary school in April has evolved into a recurring public health concern, affecting hundreds of students across multiple schools and raising urgent questions about environmental safety in one of Ogun State’s major educational hubs.
At the heart of the crisis is a series of unexplained gas emissions, now believed to contain significant concentrations of methane, which have repeatedly triggered episodes of dizziness, nausea, breathing difficulties and fainting among students and teachers.
Although no deaths have been recorded, the recurring incidents have heightened anxiety and raised concerns about possible geological activity beneath the ancient town.
Panic in the Classroom
The first major incident occurred on April 1 at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in the Old Epe Garage area of Ijebu-Ode.
What began as a normal school day quickly descended into confusion when students and staff noticed an unusual odour spreading across the school premises. Within minutes, several students reportedly began coughing, gasping for breath and vomiting, while others collapsed.
Emergency responders rushed dozens of affected students and a teacher to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, where medical personnel stabilised them. All those affected later recovered and were discharged.
Initial speculation linked the incident to possible chemical fumes from a laboratory practical examination, nearby bushes or activities in surrounding communities. However, school authorities dismissed reports of an explosion or laboratory accident.
“It was not an explosion,” a school official said. “We simply perceived a strange smell within the premises and some students began vomiting and fainting.”
Few anticipated that the incident would mark the beginning of a wider crisis.
A Disturbing Pattern Emerges
Within weeks, similar incidents were reported in other schools in Ijebu-Ode and neighbouring communities.
A second outbreak reportedly affected more than 100 students, while another wave of gas exposure in recent weeks sent scores of students and teachers to hospital.
Schools affected include Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Titilayo Agbaje Comprehensive High School, Ifesowapo Comprehensive High School, St. Peter’s Anglican Primary School, Orphanage Primary School and St. Anthony Grammar School in Esure, Ijebu-Imushin.
In total, more than 200 students and staff are believed to have been affected during three separate episodes recorded between April and June.
The recurring incidents have intensified public concern.
“The government has to get to the root of this terrible incident,” said Mr. Adewale Adewunmi, a resident of the area. “This is the third time in two months that we are experiencing this hazardous gas leak.
Something must be done before it is too late.”
Parents have become increasingly apprehensive about sending their children to school, while community leaders have called for greater transparency regarding the ongoing investigations.
Scientific Investigation Takes a New Turn
As environmental experts expanded their inquiry, initial theories linking the incidents to school laboratories, industrial activities or sabotage gradually lost ground.
According to the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, investigators have now narrowed their focus to a more complex possibility—geological activity beneath the earth’s surface.
Oresanya disclosed that scientific investigations have identified a striking pattern connecting all the affected locations.
Experts, he said, discovered that schools and communities where the gas emissions were detected appear to lie along a linear underground alignment, suggesting the existence of a shared subsurface pathway.
Investigators now believe the gases may be escaping through fractures deep within the earth’s crust.
“We have succeeded in eliminating several possible sources and have zeroed in on the fact that the gas may actually be coming from the earth’s crust,” Oresanya said.
The commissioner added that geological assessments, field investigations and sensor readings increasingly point to tectonic activity or underground disturbances capable of releasing trapped gases to the surface.
The findings have shifted the investigation from a conventional environmental inquiry to one involving geology, seismology and earth sciences.
Methane and Hydrogen Sulphide Detected
Preliminary analysis conducted by environmental experts identified methane as the dominant gas present in the emissions, with traces of hydrogen sulphide also detected.
Methane is a naturally occurring gas commonly found underground. Although colourless and odourless, high concentrations can displace oxygen and create breathing difficulties, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.
Hydrogen sulphide, known for its characteristic rotten-egg smell, can also pose health risks depending on concentration levels.
Environmental officials explained that both gases can occur naturally beneath the earth in oxygen-deficient conditions.
According to Oresanya, methane readings recorded during one of the incidents reached levels significant enough to warrant concern and continuous monitoring.
The discovery prompted authorities to temporarily suspend gas pipeline operations within the affected axis as a precautionary measure.
Officials emphasised that the shutdown does not indicate a confirmed pipeline failure but is part of efforts to eliminate all possible sources.
Could Quarry Activities Be Contributing?
Another aspect of the investigation focuses on quarry and mining operations within the wider Ijebu-Ode area.
Experts are examining whether vibrations generated by blasting activities may have opened underground fractures or widened existing fault lines, thereby creating pathways for gases trapped beneath the surface.
While no direct link has been established, the government says quarry operations remain under close scrutiny.
“If investigations show quarry activities are contributing to the problem, government will not hesitate to take decisive action,” Oresanya stated.
The Earthquake Question
Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of the investigation is the discussion around possible geological instability beneath the region.
Oresanya referenced an inaugural lecture delivered earlier this year by a professor of Solid Earth Physics at Tai Solarin University of Education.
According to the commissioner, the lecture examined geological structures within the area and suggested the possibility of seismic activity in the future.
Although experts have cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, the reference has heightened public anxiety.
Scientists involved in the investigation insist that further studies are required before any connection can be established between the current gas emissions and potential seismic events.
Government Intensifies Response
Faced with growing public concern, the Ogun State Government has expanded its response measures.
Gas detection equipment has been installed in schools and public locations to provide real-time monitoring of emissions.
Security agencies, including the Department of State Services and the Amotekun Corps, have also participated in investigations to rule out sabotage or deliberate attacks.
Authorities have cleared surrounding vegetation, deployed ambulances and medical teams to vulnerable schools, and established emergency response protocols to ensure rapid intervention should another incident occur.
Some students have been temporarily relocated to alternative schools, while candidates preparing for external examinations have been moved to safer locations to minimise disruption to academic activities.
Despite the repeated incidents, government officials maintain that there is currently no justification for shutting down schools across the affected area.
Health Experts Raise Concerns
Although all hospitalised students have recovered, public health experts warn that recurring exposure to methane and associated gases should not be taken lightly.
Professor Tanimola Akande, a public health specialist, noted that children are particularly vulnerable to environmental pollutants because their lungs and immune systems are still developing.
Repeated exposure to poor air quality, he warned, can increase the risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and other long-term complications.
Children also breathe more rapidly than adults, making them more susceptible to inhaling larger quantities of airborne pollutants relative to their body weight.
Experts caution that if emissions continue unchecked, the impact may extend beyond schools to nearby homes, healthcare facilities and businesses.
Waiting for Answers
For now, residents of Ijebu-Ode remain caught between reassurance and uncertainty.
Reassurance because no lives have been lost despite multiple incidents. Uncertainty because the exact source of the emissions remains under investigation.
Parents continue to worry each morning as their children head to school. Teachers remain vigilant for unusual odours, while community leaders are demanding faster answers and stronger safeguards.
The crisis has exposed broader concerns about environmental monitoring, emergency preparedness and public safety in rapidly expanding urban communities.
While officials insist progress is being made, many residents believe confidence can only be restored when investigators definitively identify the source of the emissions and implement a permanent solution.
Until then, the mystery beneath Ijebu-Ode continues to haunt classrooms and neighbourhoods alike, serving as a reminder that environmental threats can emerge unexpectedly and that science, transparency and swift action remain society’s strongest tools for confronting them.
As experts probe deeper into the earth beneath the historic town, residents hope answers will come before another generation of students is forced to flee their classrooms in fear.
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