The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, has revealed that underground methane and sulphite gas emissions are responsible for the series of intermittent gas emissions that have rocked Ijebu-Ode since April 1, 2026.

Commissioner Oresanya disclosed this at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting on the gas emission in Ijebu-Ode, held at the Bisi Rodipe Hall, Ijebu-Ode GRA, which was also attended by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker.

Commissioner Oresanya revealed that the areas affected by the gas emissions, including the Oke-Aje Market, the Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School (OLASS) and the Anglican Girls Grammar School (AGGS), are along a fault line from a crack in the ground, through which gas emanates. He explained that the state government, during its investigations, discovered that the crack through OLASS and AGGS extends to Mojoda along the Ijebu-Ode/Epe expressway.

Commissioner Oresanya went down memory lane and linked the current gas emissions to a tremor felt in Ijebu-Ode in September 1984, which affected many houses. He added that records show that an earlier tremor occurred in the 1930s in Ijebu-Ode, with both incidents leading to the fault line.

Commissioner Oresanya explained that a team of earth scientists from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, are continuing their investigation into the case, with a final report expected to be submitted to the state government soon. He added that the government had provided equipment on the ground for the investigating team, which has revealed that the gas is emitting every day at varying levels.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Oresanya says the gas issue is not a spiritual attack or security threat and asked residents not to panic. He also urged the public not to fall prey to theories of spiritual connection with the gas emission.

Commissioner Oresanya, while briefing journalists at the sideline of the townhall meeting, said, “There is what we call the Ifewara-Zungeru Trans-Atlantic line that cut across Mojoda , Ijebu-Ode into Osun State through the Zungeru in Niger State. That faultline has been there from time  immemorial and it has been found out that that is the line that connects to the areas  where the gas emission occured. Coincidentally all the affected schools are located in that area”.

“In fact, that area of Ijebu-Ode town was going to be a Forest and were mainly deserted and are not places where people have been living for decades. However historical background showed that most of the schools affected are missionary schools which are built on lands probably given by the leaders of the town as most of the areas are deserted by town people.”

Oresanya added that the state government is now trying to establish if the gas emissions are thermogenic or methanogenic in nature through analysis and also to establish whether Ijebu-Ode sits on a huge gas reserve which will be pressurised away from the town.