When students began collapsing in classrooms and parents received distress calls from schools, fear spread rapidly across Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State. With children rushed to hospitals and classes disrupted by a mysterious odour later linked to methane emissions, residents are demanding answers, DANIEL AYANTOYE writes
On June 3, 2026, Mrs Bukky Salami received a distressing message that her daughter, Motunrayo, an SS1 student of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, had been rushed to the hospital after inhaling a strange odour that had once again invaded the school environment.
Just weeks earlier, on May 15, the same mysterious smell had caused panic among students and teachers, forcing many children to return home sick.
But this time, the situation was worse.
“I wondered how a child who left home healthy in the morning could end up in the general hospital,” Salami said.
Rushing to the State General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, she was met with scenes of confusion as anxious parents searched frantically for their children while overwhelmed health workers struggled to cope with the influx of patients.
When she eventually found her daughter, the sight left her shaken.
She recalled, “I saw her around 12 noon where they had placed her. Foam was coming out of her mouth. There were too many people at the hospital and she had not even been attended to.”
Fearing for her daughter’s life, Mrs Salami took the teenager to a private hospital, where she was treated and discharged the following day.
“She is getting better now and resting at home. Many parents had to take their children to private hospitals because there were too many patients (at the general hospital). In the confusion, her school bag, books and shoes got lost,” she added.
For residents of Ijebu-Ode, the frightening incident was not an isolated occurrence.
On three different occasions between April and June, a mysterious chemical odour, later identified as methane, swept through parts of the town, forcing schools to shut down, sending students to hospitals, and leaving parents living in fear.
At Anglican Girls Grammar School, another parent, Mrs Opeyemi Waheed, still struggles to forget the terrifying moments when she thought she might lose her daughter, Aisha.
According to her, Aisha was rushed home from school on a commercial motorcycle after being affected by the odour.
“They brought her home, but it became worse when she arrived. We were advised to pour water on her. We did, but her condition became worse. Then, we were told to give her palm oil. We did that too, but after that, she collapsed.”
Panic-stricken, Mrs Waheed hurriedly placed her daughter on another motorcycle and raced to the State General Hospital.
When they got to the hospital, doctors immediately placed the girl on oxygen.
“The moment they gave her oxygen, she woke up.”
Across Ijebu-Ode, similar stories have become common topics of conversation in homes, markets, churches and schools.
Parents who once worried about examination results and school fees now find themselves worrying about the air their children breathe.
Worrisome situation
When our correspondent visited the schools on Wednesday, the odour was not perceptible, but it was confirmed that the incidents occurred at different times.
At Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, students were absent while some teachers were seen in classrooms.
It was gathered that the school had been closed for a week following the incident.
A staff member, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed that the incident started on April 1.
He said, “When it first happened, we didn’t understand what was going on, and there was confusion. However, the recent incident is the most worrisome. All the affected children were taken to the general hospital. Our school has a large population of close to 2,000 students, so it was chaotic. Some teachers were also affected. We were asked to shut down for a week to allow investigations.”
At St. Anthony’s Grammar School, however, school activities were ongoing during break time when our correspondent arrived at about 11 am.
An ambulance and a CCTV camera were stationed at the school to monitor the situation, while a bushy area within the compound had been cleared to improve ventilation.
A source at the school said, “Some of our students were affected and rushed to the general hospital. The odour was everywhere. It smelt like a chemical, and no one knew where it was coming from. Parents were advised to provide nose covers for their children.”
Similarly, at Anglican Girls Grammar School, the school had closed for the day when our correspondent arrived at 1 pm.
A student disclosed that the junior section was mostly affected, while one of the SS3 students writing the WASSC examination at the time was affected and rushed to the hospital after the exam.
Residents scared
Residents and traders have also expressed fear over the recurring chemical odour.
A trader, Mrs Mary Olaitan, urged the government to prevent a recurrence.
She said, “We all perceive the odour. It has happened four times. Many children were taken to the hospital. My children attend a private school, and they have been advised to use nose masks. We hope the authorities stop the odour from occurring again.”
Another resident, Tinuke Olaitan, suggested that the odour could be emanating from companies operating in the area.
She said, “Help us beg the government to stop the odour. Many companies operate here; maybe it is coming from one of them. We are scared.”
A commercial tricycle rider, Andrew Omotoso, said, “We also smelt it at the park. It happened on different days. I hope this is not a chemical test on us. Anything can happen in Nigeria, but Ijebu-Ode is not the place for such experiments.”
Odour detected in other parts of the state
A resident, Gbeminiyi Odukoya, reported in a Facebook post that the odour had spread to Ikangba town, while one Lateef Adeeko said it was also noticeable in Oke-Owa, Ijebu-Ode.
A video shared by a medical content creator, Adefunke Arowolo (@doctor.adefunke) showed a tricycle bringing an affected student to the State General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, while a woman pleaded in Yoruba for government intervention.
When our correspondent visited the hospital, it was gathered that no students were on admission.
A nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “They were here on Wednesday but have been discharged. We do not know where the odour came from, but the ministry is likely investigating.”
Expert warns
Meanwhile, an environmental expert and Professor of Soil Science at the Federal University of Technology, Abeokuta, Jamiu Azeez, has warned that methane gas emissions could pose serious environmental and health risks, including the possibility of explosions and increased global warming.
The soil scientist explained that methane is a highly flammable gas and one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
According to him, the gas could also affect human health by reducing the amount of oxygen available in the lungs.
“It is not good for humans because when methane is present in the spaces in our lungs that need oxygen, there will be less oxygen in the system, and that will actually cause discomfort for people,” Azeez stated.
The professor further explained that methane could be produced naturally in waterlogged areas through reactions occurring in the soil, adding that decomposing waste at large refuse dumps could also release the gas into the atmosphere.
Azeez urged authorities to engage experts to identify the exact source of the emission and take the necessary steps to address the problem.
What we discovered — Commissioner
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Oladimeji Oresanya, confirmed that methane had been detected in the area.
He explained that gas sources were temporarily shut down to prioritise public safety.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme, he said, “Methane could originate from the earth, possibly from peat. The affected schools are along the same geological fracture. We are drilling and taking samples to identify the exact source.
“For the students, their safety comes first. Methane will not kill you, but it can cause discomfort.”
In another interview with Saturday PUNCH, the commissioner said the state government had identified the source of the emission and established that it was coming from beneath the ground.
Oresanya said, “Like I have said in previous interviews, we are continuing to work on what was discovered. We have identified the source. We already know it is coming from the ground. What triggered it and what is forcing it out of the ground is what we are investigating, and we will let our people know.
“We will organise a town hall meeting where we will tell everybody what is going on.”
Why children suffer most from toxic air – WHO
According to the World Health Organisation, environmental risks account for nearly one in four deaths among children under five globally.
The organisation stated that children are more vulnerable than adults to air pollution, hazardous chemicals and environmental exposures because their lungs and immune systems are still developing.
WHO estimates that 99 per cent of the world’s population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds recommended guidelines, while air pollution was linked to about 317,000 child deaths globally in 2019.
According to a publication by The Times of India titled, “How Pollution in City Has a Generation Under Siege”, 55 per cent of children surveyed missed school because of pollution-related illnesses, while 44 per cent required medical attention for symptoms such as breathing difficulties, headaches and fatigue.
WHO notes that children breathe more air relative to their body weight than adults, making them more susceptible to airborne contaminants.
According to a paper published by Cornell University titled, “Subspace-Constrained Continuous Methane Leak Monitoring and Optimal Sensor Placement”, environmental experts note that methane is highly flammable and can displace oxygen in confined spaces, creating health and safety risks. Monitoring and rapid identification of methane leaks are therefore considered critical in environmental safety management.
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