The Ogun State Government says investigations into recurring gas emissions in Ijebu-Ode have reached an advanced stage, with early findings pointing to possible geological activity beneath the affected areas.
Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ola Oresanya, disclosed this Monday on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu.
He said technical assessments have narrowed the likely source to subsurface geological movements along a suspected linear fault zone cutting across parts of the town.
—Over 200 hospitalised since April–
The gas emission crisis in Ijebu-Ode has hospitalised more than 200 students and teachers in three waves over the last two months.
Panic began in early April 2026 when a chemical odour at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, OLAS, sent 30 students to hospital. A second, more toxic methane release on May 15 registered 13,500 ppm and spread to Anglican Girls Grammar School.
In the latest incident in June, 69 students with symptoms including dizziness, nausea and fainting were rushed to Ijebu-Ode General Hospital and nearby clinics. All affected persons have been treated and discharged, the Ministry of Health confirmed.
The recurring emissions prompted AfriSAFE and residents to demand a forensic audit, forcing the government to look beyond industrial pipelines toward deep underground geological fault lines beneath school grounds.
—“We have zeroed in on the earth’s crust”
Oresanya said geological assessments, sensor readings and field investigations have eliminated other sources and pointed to the earth’s crust.
“Yes, we’ve made appreciable progress. We have succeeded in eliminating other locations and zeroed in on the fact that the gas may actually be coming from the Earth’s crust. The geology confirms it,” he said.
“All the areas where the gas is perceived lie on the same straight line. It’s like a connecting source for all these areas. What we are reviewing now is whether the gas is from tectonic activity — the Earth’s crust itself bringing the gas up.”
He explained that tectonic activity refers to movement of the earth’s crust that can release trapped gases through fractures, similar to gas escapes during deep borehole drilling.
—Pipeline suspended, quarry operations under watch–
Preliminary readings show the emissions are mainly methane with traces of hydrogen sulphide. Both gases occur naturally underground where oxygen is absent and dissipate quickly once released, Oresanya said.
As a precaution, the state government has suspended gas pipeline operations in the affected area to rule out leaks. Quarry operations are also under review, as blasting vibrations could widen underground channels for gas migration.
“We have stopped pipeline operations to eliminate all possibilities. We have not stopped quarry activities yet, but if our investigation confirms they are responsible, we will stop them immediately,” Oresanya said.
—2028 earthquake possibility not dismissed–
The Commissioner referenced an April 2026 inaugural lecture by a Tai Solarin University of Education professor of Solid Earth Physics, which warned that Ijebu-Ode may experience an earthquake by 2028.
“Yes, exactly. Just April this year, a professor gave an inaugural lecture on the fact that Ijebu-Ode may witness an earthquake in 2028. She wrote it. You don’t have to dismiss that statement, even with what is happening right now,” he said.
—Schools monitored, no shutdown order–
Gas detection devices have been installed at Our Lady of Apostles School and other affected schools along the suspected geological alignment for real-time monitoring.
Oresanya dismissed speculations of sabotage or chemical attack. Security agencies including DSS and Amotekun swept the area and CCTV footage showed no suspicious activity, he said.
Despite public panic, he insisted there is no directive to close schools: “There is no instruction to close schools. We must not create panic where it is not justified.”
He said most recent hospital cases involved mild respiratory discomfort, while many were anxiety-related. Of 40 students treated last, 27 were asthmatic and were given oxygen before being discharged.
—Interim safety measures–
Pending conclusive findings, schools have been advised to use wet handkerchiefs over the nose during suspected emissions. Ambulances and emergency units with oxygen tanks have been deployed to affected schools.
The state is working with geologists from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Technology Abeokuta, NNPC and the Geological Survey Agency.
Oresanya also dismissed links to a recent NDLEA drug bust: “There is absolutely no connection between the drug bust and what we are experiencing. The pattern is consistent along a geological line, not isolated chemical activity.”
As investigations continue, the government says it is working with scientific precision to determine whether Ijebu-Ode is witnessing natural tectonic release, human-induced underground disturbance, or both, while urging residents to remain calm.
