By Peace Udugba
The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ola Oresanya, has dismissed claims linking the recurring gas emissions in parts of Ijebu-Ode to spiritual forces or the prolonged vacancy of the Awujale stool, insisting that only scientific investigation can explain the phenomenon.
Oresanya made the clarification on Monday during an appearance on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, while addressing growing public speculation surrounding mysterious gas emissions that have recently affected schools and communities in the town.
He was responding to narratives circulating among some residents suggesting that the environmental incident may be connected to spiritual displeasure over the continued vacancy of the Awujale of Ijebuland throne following the passing of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025.
The Awujale stool has remained vacant since the late monarch, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, completed one of the longest and most influential reigns in Yoruba history. The succession process has since generated public debate and heightened interest across Ijebu land.
However, some residents have attributed the gas emissions to what they describe as spiritual unrest linked to the throne’s vacancy. Dismissing the claims, Oresanya urged the public to rely on evidence-based explanations.
“I don’t know about that… if something is mysterious, you start thinking there is a deity somewhere, but we need to apply science,” he said. “We need to apply science.”
The commissioner said preliminary investigations increasingly point toward geological causes rather than spiritual or human-induced factors.
He explained that experts working with the state government are examining possible underground gas movements through subsurface fracture lines and other geological activities.
According to him, security agencies and environmental experts have ruled out several suspected causes after weeks of monitoring and assessment.
He added that surveillance systems, gas detection probes, and environmental monitoring equipment have been deployed across affected areas.
Investigations, he said, are being conducted in collaboration with specialists from Olabisi Onabanjo University, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and relevant federal agencies, including the NNPC and others.
“We are working with professors from Olabisi Onabanjo University, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and the relevant federal agencies, including NNPC and others,” Oresanya said. “We are also inviting the Geological Survey because we are beginning to connect this to the earth’s crust.”
He added that geological experts are now being engaged to further investigate the subsurface activity suspected to be responsible for the emissions.
Schools placed under monitoring
Several schools in Ijebu-Ode, including institutions such as Our Lady of Apostles School and others located along suspected geological pathways, have been placed under close environmental surveillance.
Oresanya said gas detection devices have been installed within and around affected schools to monitor emissions in real time.
He also dismissed suggestions of sabotage, chemical attacks, or industrial contamination, noting that security agencies were deployed to comb affected areas.
The Department of State Services, Amotekun Corps, and other security operatives were involved in the investigation, he said, adding that CCTV footage reviewed so far showed no suspicious activity.
“We installed gas probes to ensure we know exactly what it is not. Security agencies combed the entire area. It is not sabotage. It is not a deliberate attack on our children,” he said.
No school shutdown order
Despite public concern and reported panic, the state government insists there is no directive to shut down schools in Ijebu-Ode.
Oresanya maintained that academic activities should continue under strict safety monitoring protocols already in place.
“There is no instruction to close schools. We must not create panic where it is not justified,” he said.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing and urged residents to avoid spreading unverified claims, stressing that conclusions will be based strictly on scientific evidence.
As monitoring continues, officials maintain that only a full geological assessment will determine the exact cause of the recurring emissions.
