Ogun Govt Explains Cause of Ijebu-Ode Gas Emissions, Rules Out Mythical and Traditional Beliefs
Ademola Busayo 
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 IfewaraโZungeru 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.
โ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐น๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ. ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐, ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ,โ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ.
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.
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