Ijebu-Ode Gas Emission Linked to Underground Geological Fractures, Not Myth — Ogun Govt

The Ogun State Government has attributed the recurring gas emissions recorded in Ijebu-Ode and surrounding communities to natural underground geological activities, dismissing claims linking the incidents to traditional myths or supernatural beliefs.

The clarification follows three separate gas emission incidents that affected schools in the area, leaving more than 200 students and staff of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Anglican Girls Grammar School (AGGS), and other nearby schools hospitalised after inhaling the chemical fumes.

Following the incidents, Governor Dapo Abiodun ordered the temporary relocation of students of Our Lady of Apostles Girls Grammar School to a safer location pending the outcome of detailed scientific investigations.

Speaking during a state government-organised town hall meeting with stakeholders on Saturday, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said preliminary scientific findings revealed that the gases released were mainly methane and hydrogen sulphide originating from underground geological formations.

According to him, the emissions are associated with fractures along the Ifewara-Zungeru trans-Atlantic fault line, a geological structure that stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode into Osun State and further to Zungeru in Niger State.

“There is what we call the Ifewara-Zungeru trans-Atlantic line that cuts across Mojoda, Ijebu-Ode into Osun State through Zungeru in Niger State. Scientific investigations have shown that this fault line is connected to the locations where the gas emissions occurred,” Oresanya explained.

He noted that all the affected schools are situated within the fault zone, adding that historical records indicate the area was originally a forest and sparsely populated before missionary schools were established there.

The commissioner disclosed that further scientific analysis is ongoing to determine whether the methane is thermogenic or methanogenic in origin. He added that experts are also investigating whether the area sits on significant natural gas reserves responsible for the pressure forcing the gases to the surface.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, urged residents not to panic during future gas emission episodes. She advised people to cover their noses with wet handkerchiefs instead of using face masks, which she described as unsuitable under such conditions.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abayomi Arigbadu, assured parents that schools temporarily shut due to the incidents would reopen after consultations with principals and education officials once safety assessments are completed.

Stakeholders at the meeting commended the government’s response and urged residents to promptly contact emergency health services whenever similar incidents occur.