BREAKING: Ogun Government Explains Cause Of Ijebu-Ode Gas Emissions, Dismisses Links To Mythical, Traditional Beliefs
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The Ogun State Government has attributed the recurring gas emissions in parts of Ijebu-Ode and its surrounding communities to natural underground geological activity, dismissing claims that the phenomenon is linked to traditional myths or beliefs.
Speaking at a government-organised town hall meeting held at the Bisi Rodipe Hall, GRA, Ijebu-Ode, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, said scientific investigations have identified the gases as primarily methane and hydrogen sulphide, originating from underground geological fractures.
According to the commissioner, the affected areas lie along the Ifewara–Zungeru trans-Atlantic fault line, a major geological structure that stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode into Osun State and extends to Zungeru in Niger State.
“𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿,” 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱.
Dr. Oresanya explained that the affected parts of Ijebu-Ode were historically forested and sparsely populated before the establishment of many missionary schools in the area.
He added that experts are conducting further studies to determine whether the methane and hydrogen sulphide gases are thermogenic (formed deep underground through heat and pressure) or methanogenic (produced by microbial activity). The investigation will also determine whether the area sits on significant natural gas deposits.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, urged residents to remain calm and comply with public health advisories. She advised residents to cover their noses with wet handkerchiefs during gas emission incidents rather than using face masks, which she said may not be appropriate under such conditions.
Residents requiring emergency medical assistance were advised to contact the state health emergency line: 08112000033.
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbadu, disclosed that schools that are temporarily closed because of the incident would reopen after consultations with school principals and zonal education officers.
He appealed to parents to allow the government to complete the necessary safety assessments before resumption.
Leading the scientific investigation, Prof. Philip Ikhane, Head of the Department of Earth Sciences at Olabisi Onabanjo University, also appealed to residents to remain calm while experts continue their work.
𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.
