The Ogun State Government has ordered the immediate closure of Our Lady Apostle Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, following a suspected gas leak that disrupted academic activities and left about 30 students hospitalised at the school.
The incident, which occurred shortly after the school’s morning assembly on Wednesday, sparked panic as a gaseous substance spread across the premises, forcing an immediate evacuation of affected students and staff.
In the aftermath, Governor Dapo Abiodun ordered the indefinite closure of the school while directing security agencies to unravel the source and nature of the leak, with officials stressing that findings from the probe would be critical to preventing a recurrence.
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In a statement on Thursday, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the state had moved swiftly to contain the situation and support affected residents.
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“Governor Abiodun has also directed the immediate opening of a Situation Room at the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, which will offer free treatment to other students and residents of the impacted areas such as Makalewo, Ogbogbo, Molipa, Igbegba, Ikoto and Oke-Aje market,” the statement added.
The government urged residents in the affected communities, including Makalewo, Ogbogbo, Molipa, Igbegba, Ikoto and Oke-Aje — to remain calm, assuring that there was no confirmed security threat associated with the incident.
As part of the investigation, officials of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency have deployed gas analysers to trace the origin and composition of the suspected fumes.
Oresanya, accompanied by other government officials, also conducted on-site assessments at both the school and the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, where victims were receiving treatment.
He noted that most of the affected students and teachers have stabilised, even as monitoring continues and authorities work to determine the exact cause of the incident.
