Toxic odour sickens over 30 students in Ogun schools, NUPRC begins investigation

More than 30 students have received medical attention after a strange odour reportedly triggered breathing difficulties, stomach disorders and drowsiness in schools around Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nationaldailyng.com has gathered.

The affected students were taken to a general hospital, where medical personnel attended to them following complaints of symptoms suspected to be associated with exposure to the unidentified odour.

According to an update from the team investigating the incident, the students presented with several symptoms, including shortness of breath, stomach disorders and drowsiness.

While some of the affected students required oxygen to stabilise their conditions, others received treatment for less severe symptoms.

Most of the students had been discharged by the time the assessment team left the hospital, although a few remained under medical observation.

The development has raised concerns over a possible environmental or chemical exposure, particularly as reports indicated that the odour was not restricted to the affected schools but was also perceived by residents in the surrounding communities.

Following the initial hospital assessment, the investigation team proceeded to Ijebu Igbo Girls Grammar School to evaluate the situation and conduct further inquiries into the source and possible spread of the odour.

The team also inspected the surrounding areas as part of efforts to establish whether the incident was linked to a particular location, industrial activity or other environmental factors.

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According to the update, residents outside the school premises also reported being affected, suggesting that the incident may have extended beyond the immediate school environment.

The Chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area, Hon. Omobolaji Odusanya, reportedly confirmed that he also perceived the unusual odour at the council secretariat, further raising concerns about the geographical spread of the incident.

Other schools in the area were also reportedly affected, with some students taken to different hospitals for medical attention.

The reports of similar symptoms across multiple schools and locations have heightened the need for a comprehensive investigation to identify the substance responsible, determine the extent of exposure and establish appropriate measures to prevent further incidents.

A team from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) arrived at Ijebu Igbo Girls Grammar School as the assessment and investigation were ongoing.

The commission’s team is expected to form part of the efforts to investigate the incident and help establish whether the odour could be linked to petroleum-related or other industrial activities. However, the precise source of the odour had not been established at the time of the update.

There was also no confirmed information on the chemical composition of the odour, the number of schools affected or the total number of students who received treatment across the different hospitals.

The immediate priority remains the health and safety of the affected students and residents, alongside efforts to identify and contain any potential source of exposure.

Further investigations are expected to provide clarity on the cause of the incident, the possible environmental implications and any additional measures required to protect schools and surrounding communities.

Until the substance is identified, the reported symptoms alone cannot establish whether the incident resulted from a toxic chemical, industrial emissions or another environmental source.