Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has ordered the immediate closure of Our Lady of Apostle Primary and Secondary Schools (OLAS) in Ijebu-Ode following a gas leakage incident that left dozens of students and teachers hospitalised.
The directive came after at least 30 students and two teachers were affected by a suspected gaseous substance that spread across the school premises shortly after the morning assembly on Wednesday.
Eyewitness accounts from school authorities described a sudden and overwhelming chemical odour that triggered panic among students and staff. The Vice Principal, Adeola Borogun, said several students began vomiting and fainting moments after perceiving the strange smell, prompting an emergency response.
Ambulances were immediately deployed from the State General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode to evacuate the affected individuals for medical attention.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Banjo Adeoye, confirmed that most of those admitted were now in stable condition, although the exact nature of the chemical substance responsible for the incident remains unknown.
Reacting to the development, Governor Abiodun, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya on Thursday, directed security agencies to launch a full-scale investigation into the cause of the gas leak.
The governor said the probe would help uncover the source of the emission and provide recommendations to prevent a recurrence.
READ ALSO:Â 30 Students, Teacher Hospitalised As Gas Leak Triggers Panic In Ogun School
As part of immediate response measures, the state government also ordered the establishment of a situation room at the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, to provide free medical treatment to affected students and residents in surrounding communities, including Makalewo, Ogbogbo, Molipa, Igbegba, Ikoto, and Oke-Aje market.
Authorities sought to reassure residents, urging them not to panic or assume any security threat, while confirming that safety officials and environmental experts have deployed gas analysers to trace the origin of the substance.
Meanwhile, government officials, including the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and top civil servants from the ministries of environment and education, visited both the affected schools and the hospital to assess the situation and monitor response efforts.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about environmental safety and emergency preparedness in schools, as authorities continue investigations to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences.