IJEBU ODE, Nigeria — No fewer than 30 students and a teacher at Our Lady of Apostle Secondary School in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, were hospitalised on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, after exposure to a suspected chemical odour within the school premises, officials said.
The incident occurred shortly after the morning assembly, when several students reportedly began vomiting and fainting, triggering panic across the school.
The vice principal, Mrs Adeola Borogun, said the situation was linked to an unidentified odour rather than an explosion.
“Several students began vomiting and fainting, forcing the school management to call for ambulances from the State General Hospital, Ijebu Ode,” she said.
Emergency services transported affected students to the hospital for treatment.
Investigation Underway
The state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident and said authorities were investigating the source of the suspected gas.
“No, there is no explosion anywhere,” he said.
“It’s a gas leakage from somewhere. Some say it was from the school laboratory, but some say it must have been from somewhere around the community.”
He said a gas analyser would be deployed to determine the type and concentration of the substance involved.
Condition of Victims
Officials said the affected students are in stable condition.
The chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, who visited the hospital, described the situation as under control and assured residents that a full investigation would be conducted.
Authorities have not yet determined the exact source of the exposure.
