By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
The Ogun State government has temporarily relocated students of Our Lady of Apostles Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, to an alternative location as investigations into the recent chemical inhalation incident on the school premises intensify.
Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of the school, noting that preliminary findings have confirmed the presence of methane gas in the affected area.
The governor explained that the relocation became necessary to safeguard the health and safety of students, teachers, and other members of the school community while also creating an enabling environment for experts to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the source and cause of the contamination.
He noted that the state government, through the ministries of environment and health, is collaborating with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Department of Geology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, to determine the root cause of the incident.
“Twice now, we have recorded cases of pollution in this school and some neighboring schools.
“What is interesting is that the gas pollution occurred at about the same time in the affected schools—about three schools altogether—and this has happened on two separate occasions.
“Following the first occurrence, we installed gas analyzers across the schools to determine the nature and concentration of the gas, which has now been confirmed to be 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,” he said.
Governor Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the lives of students, teachers, and residents of the affected communities, stressing that every necessary measure would be taken to identify the source of the pollution and prevent a recurrence.
He assured residents that the government remains focused on safeguarding public health and environmental safety, adding that updates would be provided as investigations progress.
“In the meantime, we have evacuated the students from the school. The rumor that these incidents are being deliberately targeted at schools is unfounded and should be disregarded. This appears to be a natural occurrence, and we are determined to get to the bottom of it.
“The students have been moved out temporarily, and until we are satisfied that the environment is completely safe and conducive for learning, they will not return. We will continue to investigate the cause of this situation and take all necessary steps to address it,” the governor added.
