The Ogun State Government has again shut some schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo after more than 100 pupils were reportedly hospitalised on Wednesday following exposure to an offensive gaseous substance.
The affected pupils were taken to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, the General Hospital, Ijebu-Igbo, and other healthcare facilities for treatment.
Among the worst-hit schools were Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, Itamerin Comprehensive High School, and Ago-Iwoye.
A video circulating on social media showed some pupils fainting and being rushed to hospitals after inhaling the substance, which the state government had previously identified as methane.
A teacher at one of the affected schools, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Wednesday, said the incident occurred at about 10am, when pupils and staff began experiencing breathing difficulties and fainting.
“The pupils and staff started inhaling the gas and began to have difficulty breathing. Some of them fainted and were rushed to hospitals,” the teacher said.
The teacher added that some schools in Ago-Iwoye had to close around 11am as the situation became increasingly alarming.
“The worst-hit schools include Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School and Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode. Some parents who heard about the incident also came to pick up their children because nobody knew what was happening,” the teacher said.
The teacher expressed concern that the gas emissions had been recurring since April, exposing pupils and school staff to repeated health risks.
“We are all anxious about our health and that of our pupils. I think it is taking the government too long to get to the root of this mysterious gas leakage. The government has to do something quickly before it gets too late,” the teacher added.
Wednesday’s incident was the fourth reported occurrence of the gaseous emissions in the Ijebu area since April, renewing concerns over the safety of pupils and residents.
However, the state government has assured the residents that the situation “is under control.”
In April, about 40 pupils were reportedly affected, while more than 120 others were hospitalised following another exposure in May. Another incident on June 1 reportedly left 69 pupils needing medical attention.
Schools previously affected included Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, and St Anthony Grammar School, Ijebu-Imusin, among others.
Following an earlier occurrence, Governor Dapo Abiodun said the state government was working with the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Department of Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University to establish the cause of the emissions.
Abiodun said gas analysers had been installed in affected schools after the first incident and that preliminary findings identified the substance as methane.
“Preliminary findings suggest there may be geological factors involved, possibly fault lines common to these locations, which could be responsible for the emissions.
We are awaiting the final report from the professionals handling the investigation,” the governor said in June.
When contacted on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the government was on top of the situation.
Also speaking, a senior special assistant to the governor and general manager of the Ogun State Environmental Agency, Kehinde Bello, who visited affected areas in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo, linked the latest incident to underground gas emissions previously recorded in the area.
Bello said the situation was under control, assuring residents that the government would find a lasting solution to the recurring problem.
He said government investigations had indicated that the phenomenon was a natural occurrence associated with geological and tectonic fault lines, rather than sabotage or a gas pipeline leak.
Bello urged residents to remain calm, adding that the affected pupils were expected to recover after receiving medical attention.
He also advised residents exposed to the odour to cover their noses and mouths with wet handkerchiefs rather than wear nose masks.
PUNCH Metro reports that medical personnel were attending to the affected students at various hospitals as of the time of filing this report.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over the recurring emissions and the potential risks to children, teachers and other residents, amid calls for the government to establish the precise source and implement a lasting solution.
Source: punchng.com
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