Residents of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were on Wednesday thrown into fresh anxiety following another outbreak of a mysterious and unpleasant odour at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, leaving several students and staff members requiring medical attention.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred during school hours when an offensive smell suddenly spread across the school premises, causing discomfort, breathing difficulties and panic among students and teachers. Some of the affected persons were immediately taken to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for treatment.
The latest incident has heightened concerns among parents and residents, coming barely months after a similar occurrence at the same school. In April this year, about 30 students were reportedly hospitalised after exposure to an unidentified substance that triggered health complications within the school environment.
Concern has also grown following another recent incident in which more than 100 students from different schools, including Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, were reportedly affected by a yet-to-be-identified substance. The development prompted emergency interventions by health officials and school authorities, while investigations were launched to determine the source of the contamination.
Parents who rushed to the school after Wednesday’s incident expressed fears over what many described as a recurring environmental or public health threat.
They called on government authorities, environmental experts and emergency agencies to urgently identify the source of the mysterious odour and implement lasting measures to safeguard students, teachers and residents.
As of the time of this report, no official statement had been issued on the cause of the latest incident, while investigations were said to be ongoing.
