‘We need to apply science’ — Oresanya counters speculation on Ijebu gas mystery

Mercy Iheoma Ihedigbo

Ogun State Government has dismissed growing claims that the recurring gas emissions recorded in parts of Ijebu-Ode are connected to spiritual forces or the prolonged vacancy of the Awujale of Ijebuland stool, insisting that scientific investigation remains the only credible route to understanding the phenomenon.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ola Oresanya, made the clarification during an appearance on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, while responding to widespread public speculation surrounding the mysterious gas emissions that have affected schools and communities across the ancient town in recent months.

Oresanya was reacting to a popular narrative among some residents who believe the environmental incidents may be linked to the absence of a substantive Awujale following the death of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

The revered monarch passed away on July 13, 2025, bringing to an end one of the longest and most influential reigns in Yoruba history. Since then, the succession process has attracted intense public interest, with various stakeholders expressing differing views over the emergence of a successor.

Amid the prolonged selection process, some residents have reportedly attributed the recurring gas emissions to spiritual displeasure and the continued vacancy of the traditional throne.

Addressing the claims directly, Oresanya distanced the state government from such interpretations and urged residents to rely on facts and evidence rather than speculation.

“I don’t know about that. I don’t know about that, but anyway, don’t rely on anybody who thinks about anything. If something is mysterious, you start thinking that there is a deity somewhere, but we need to apply science,” the commissioner said.

He reiterated the point, stressing: “We need to apply science.”

The commissioner explained that investigations conducted so far increasingly point toward geological explanations rather than sabotage, industrial contamination, or supernatural causes.

According to him, experts involved in the investigation have narrowed their focus to possible underground geological activities, including gas movement through subsurface fracture lines and other earth-crust-related processes.

He revealed that weeks of environmental monitoring and security investigations had already ruled out several potential causes, while sophisticated equipment continues to collect data across affected areas.

Oresanya disclosed that the state government has assembled a team of scientists and technical experts drawn from various institutions to determine the precise origin of the emissions.

“We are already working with the professors from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and also the Federal Ministry, the Federal Agency that is in charge of gas, NNPC, and others like that. So, right now, the next one, we are going to invite the Geological Survey, because it was only on Thursday, we were able to connect this nexus with the Earth’s Crust,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the latest findings represent a significant development in the ongoing investigation and may provide a clearer understanding of the unusual environmental occurrence.

His remarks come amid growing public concern and speculation that have accompanied the incidents since they were first reported. In many African societies, unusual environmental events are often interpreted through both scientific and cultural perspectives, particularly when they coincide with major traditional, political, or social developments.

However, Oresanya maintained that government decisions regarding public safety and environmental management must be based solely on verified scientific evidence.

While acknowledging the rights of individuals to hold personal beliefs, he stressed that official conclusions would only emerge from expert analysis and facts.

“Well, we have to establish these facts first, and be sure what we are dealing with. And we don’t want to start applying medication when you have not finished your diagnosis. So we are still in the process of completing what we are actually dealing with.

“Then solutions, yes, have to come from every angle. People who have such experience before, they will bring their idea to the table. And for those of us who are here also, we will look at our level of preparedness, and what we need to tell our people, and what should be the responsibilities of our people.

“But if this is due to just quarry activities, then we can easily stop mining activities around Ijebu Ode. That was just the government policy and action,” he added.

Schools under close monitoring

As part of precautionary measures, several schools located along the suspected geological alignment, including Our Lady of Apostles School and other affected institutions in Ijebu-Ode, have been placed under continuous environmental surveillance.

The commissioner disclosed that gas detection devices and monitoring systems have been installed within and around the schools to provide real-time data and ensure the safety of students and staff.

He also dismissed suggestions that the incidents may have resulted from sabotage, chemical attacks, or deliberate contamination.

According to him, security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Amotekun Corps, were involved in extensive security sweeps of the affected locations.

“We installed gas probes to ensure that we know exactly what it is not. So, we brought in security, the DSS, the Amotekun, and everywhere was combed to make sure it was not a sabotage. It is not a deliberate attack on our children,” he stated.

He further revealed that CCTV footage from schools and surrounding locations had been examined and showed no suspicious activities linked to the incidents.

No order to shut down schools

Despite public anxiety and reports of medical emergencies associated with the emissions, the Ogun State Government has maintained that there is currently no directive ordering the closure of schools in Ijebu-Ode.

Oresanya insisted that academic activities should continue while safety measures and monitoring protocols remain in place.

According to him, available evidence does not justify a blanket shutdown of educational institutions.

“There is no instruction to close schools. We must not create panic where it is not justified,” he said.

The government has continued to reassure residents that investigations are progressing and that all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard lives and property.

Authorities have also appealed to members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information capable of generating unnecessary fear, emphasizing that the final determination of the cause of the gas emissions will be based on scientific evidence and expert findings.

As investigations enter a more advanced stage, officials say residents can expect further updates as geologists, environmental experts and other specialists work to unravel the mystery behind the recurring emissions that have unsettled parts of Ijebu-Ode.