Ogun State links Ijebu-Ode gas emissions to fault line

The Ogun State Government has attributed recurring gas emissions in Ijebu-Ode to natural underground geological activity, dismissing claims linking the incidents to traditional myths. Officials announced the findings during a town hall meeting with stakeholders on Sunday, June 28, following a series of incidents that have led to school closures and hospitalizations.

Scientific investigations have determined that the emissions consist primarily of methane and sulphide gases escaping through fractures along the Ifewara-Zungeru Trans-Atlantic fault line. This geological feature stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode into Osun State and onward to Zungeru in Niger State. The state's Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, explained that all affected schools are coincidentally located along this corridor. He noted the area was historically forested and sparsely populated, with many of the impacted schools being missionary institutions built on land that was largely unoccupied decades ago.

The government is conducting further analysis to determine whether the gases are thermogenic or methanogenic in origin and to establish if Ijebu-Ode sits atop significant natural gas...