Several students and teachers of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were on Wednesday hospitalised after inhaling a strange and offensive odour that reportedly swept through the school premises during academic activities.
The incident, which triggered panic among students and staff members, was said to have occurred during school hours when an unidentified smell suddenly engulfed parts of the school, leaving many of those exposed with breathing difficulties and other health concerns.
Sources said the affected students and teachers were immediately evacuated for medical attention and taken to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, where they received treatment.
The development has sparked fresh concerns among residents, coming barely two months after a similar incident reportedly affected dozens of students in the same school.
In April, no fewer than 30 students were said to have been hospitalised after they were exposed to an unidentified substance under circumstances that authorities have yet to fully explain.
Wednesday’s episode prompted an emergency response from health officials and school authorities, who commenced preliminary investigations to ascertain the source of the odour and assess any potential environmental risks.
Worried parents who rushed to the school after receiving reports of the incident expressed fears over the recurring nature of the problem, describing it as a serious threat to the safety and wellbeing of students and staff.
They urged relevant government agencies and environmental authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the repeated occurrences and implement lasting measures to prevent future incidents.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the state government, environmental agencies and emergency management authorities had not released any official statement on the cause of the latest incident.
The recurring cases have heightened concerns over environmental safety in and around schools in Ijebu-Ode, with stakeholders calling for urgent intervention to identify the source of the mysterious odour and protect residents from possible health hazards.
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