More than 30 students have been hospitalised following a fresh suspected gas emission affecting several schools in Ogun State, marking the fourth reported incident of its kind in the state since April 2026.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at Anglican Girls Grammar School, Obalende, Ijebu-Ode, including its public and private sections, and Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School, among other schools.

An unusual odour was also reported in Ago-Iwoye, prompting school authorities to shut their facilities and send students home as a precautionary measure.

The affected students were taken to general hospitals in Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo for medical attention.

Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the situation was under control and that investigations had commenced to determine the source and extent of the emissions.

Oresanya, who visited the affected areas alongside other government officials, said medical assessments showed that the students presented symptoms including shortness of breath, stomach disorders and drowsiness.

According to him, some of the students required oxygen to stabilise their conditions, while others received less intensive treatment.

He added that most had been discharged by the time the assessment team left the hospitals, while a few remained under medical observation.

The commissioner said the team also visited Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School to assess the situation and investigate the surrounding environment.

He added that the chairman of Ijebu North Local Government had confirmed detecting the unusual odour, including at the council secretariat.

A team from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) also arrived at the scene to participate in the assessment and investigation.

Oresanya linked the latest incident to previous underground gas emissions reported in the Ijebu axis since April.

In June, he attributed the recurring occurrences to a possible natural geological phenomenon involving underground gases escaping through fractures associated with geological and tectonic fault lines.

He had ruled out sabotage and gas pipeline leaks as possible causes of the earlier incidents.

However, investigations are expected to establish the source of Wednesday's emissions and determine the cause of the symptoms experienced by the students.

On April 1, at least 30 students of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, were hospitalised after a suspected gas leak caused breathing difficulties among students and teachers.

The state government initially suspected fumes from nearby carbide cylinders.

On May 15, another incident affected students at Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, with several reportedly fainting and requiring medical attention.

The government subsequently activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team.

On June 3, several students of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School were again hospitalised following another suspected gas emission, the third reported incident in the community within two months.

At the time, the state government said investigations were ongoing to determine whether the recurring emissions were linked to natural geological activities or mining operations.

In September, TheCable contacted Oresanya to ascertain the outcome of the investigation reportedly launched in June. The commissioner, however, said the probe had yet to be concluded.