The Ogun State Government has said it may evacuate affected communities in Ijebuland if ongoing investigations establish that recurring gas emissions pose a risk of death or permanent damage to human health.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, gave the assurance on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, following the latest incident on Wednesday, October 21, which reportedly sent more than 100 pupils to hospitals after exposure to a strong chemical odour.
The recurring incidents date back to April 1, when at least 30 students and a teacher were hospitalised at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode. Another incident on May 15 affected more than 100 students and teachers, while 69 students were hospitalised following a third reported occurrence on June 3.
The latest incident on October 21 affected more than 100 pupils across parts of Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye.
Oresanya said the government had recorded about five reported incidents since April, noting that the latest occurrence raised fresh concerns because of its impact on schoolchildren and reports of emissions in additional locations, including Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo.
“From the first incident till now, we told you the kind of gas it is and that gas will not kill anybody. We told you that. It can be discomforting, though,” the commissioner said.
He added, “And up to now, the state government gave the assurance that nobody will die from this gas.”
However, Oresanya acknowledged that the government could not rule out every possible health risk until investigations were completed. He said affected residents could be relocated if further findings established that the emissions posed a serious threat.
“All we can do, until we find out that this may kill or affect their health permanently, we may relocate them immediately,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the government was working with scientists and relevant federal agencies to determine the source of the emissions before implementing a lasting solution. He warned that acting without fully understanding the problem could result in ineffective interventions.
“You must have a deep understanding of your problem before you rush into a solution. Why do you want to rush into a wrong solution?” he asked.
According to Oresanya, investigations by the Department of Earth Sciences at Olabisi Onabanjo University, alongside the state’s gas analysis, had identified methane in air samples collected around the affected areas.
He said the government had been monitoring gas levels in Ijebu-Ode since the first reported incident and was collaborating with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and its relevant technical teams to determine whether the gas was emerging from a shallow or deep underground reservoir.
Oresanya said preliminary geological findings indicated that parts of Ijebu-Ode were situated on shale formations capable of producing gas. However, he described the latest incident in Ago-Iwoye as particularly significant because the area has a different geological formation, warranting further investigation.
“One other thing you need to know is that Ijebu-Ode and its environs is sitting right on gas reservoirs, generally. So, what we have right now, from the aeromagnetic survey investigation that was carried out, Ijebu-Ode is on a kind of formation called shale. So, and that’s about 0 to 150 meters in depth around the area.
“What occurred yesterday is surprising, because I know Ago-Iwoye is in a basement complex and the basement complex is more of a rock than sedimentary,” he said.
The commissioner said that if investigations confirmed the presence of a shallow gas reservoir, the relevant technical team could consider drilling a well at an appropriate location to depressurise the area.
He warned, however, that if the emissions were linked to tectonic activity, addressing the problem would require a more extensive intervention involving the federal government.
“If it’s tectonic, that’s a bigger issue. That is going to be something at the federal level that decisions have to be taken and it’s beyond us. And that means we have to do something to avoid any form of human catastrophe,” he said.
Oresanya maintained that the state government was not abandoning affected communities and urged residents to remain calm while investigations continued.
“We are not leaving the parents to their fate,” he said, adding that the government had engaged stakeholders to explain the situation and communicate precautionary measures.
He also acknowledged the need to improve the speed of public alerts, explaining that monitoring sensors could detect a sudden rise in gas concentrations within a short period, leaving officials with limited time to activate existing emergency response procedures.
The recurring emissions have heightened concerns about environmental safety and the welfare of schoolchildren in Ijebuland. The latest incident has renewed calls for a lasting solution to the problem, which was first reported in April.
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