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The Ogun State Government has confirmed that all patients admitted to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, following a recent chemical inhalation incident affecting schools in the town, have been discharged after receiving treatment and being certified medically fit.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this during a meeting with parents, guardians, and community members at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School.

She also noted that the state had activated a medical response protocol to ensure that any patient requiring advanced care at secondary health facilities would be promptly referred to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.

According to her, “There were persons admitted at the Ijebu-Ode State Hospital and others at Ijebu-Ife who were affected by the methane emission.

“Altogether, we had adults and children admitted, and I am glad to say that all have been discharged. They are hale and hearty.

“Methane is a non-toxic gas; however, it competes with oxygen which our body and brain need to function properly, and that is why it is of concern to us.”

There was panic in Ijebu Ode on Friday after a suspected gas leakage triggered an air pollution incident that left more than 90 students hospitalised.

The incident occurred barely one month after a similar outbreak was reported in the town.

Students from several schools, including Our Lady of Apostles Girls School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, and Sambadola Private School, were reportedly affected.

Several students were said to have fainted and were rushed to nearby hospitals, with many complaining of abdominal pain and other related symptoms.

A video shared on X by user OMOELERINJARE (@omoelerinjare) showed some victims being carried into an ambulance while distressed parents wept at the scene.

The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, revealing that air quality monitoring devices installed in the area detected elevated methane concentrations.

According to him, the monitoring station at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School recorded peak methane readings of about 13,500 parts per million (ppm) in surrounding locations.

“The deployment of the Air Quality Monitoring station at Ijebu Ode Grammar School forms part of the state’s continuous environmental surveillance programme designed to provide early detection of abnormal air quality conditions and support timely public health interventions,” the statement said.

“While the recorded methane concentration is below the lower explosive limit, the level is considered environmentally significant and requires immediate technical investigation and precautionary response.”

Oresanya disclosed that the Ogun State Government had activated a multi-agency environmental and public health assessment team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and air quality experts.

He said the team would determine the source of the emissions, assess the exposure risk, and evaluate the presence of other gases, including hydrogen sulphide and volatile organic compounds.

Residents were advised to remain calm, continue their normal activities, and avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are perceived.

He also urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention.

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The Senate has condemned the abduction of 87 students and teachers in Borno and Oyo states within 24 hours, describing the incidents as a direct attack on Nigeria’s future.

The upper legislative house, in a statement on Sunday night by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said the latest wave of kidnappings underscored the urgent need to establish state police as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture.

Bamidele, who also serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, called for coordinated and strategic measures to secure schools across the country and tackle the growing crisis of out-of-school children.

Suspected gunmen had on Friday abducted 45 students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A Primary School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Similarly, Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting 42 students.

Reacting to the incidents, Bamidele described the kidnappings as “a tragic national concern” and vowed that the National Assembly would accelerate efforts to establish state police.

According to him, the 10th National Assembly is already at an advanced stage of amending the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the creation of state police.

“The process will soon be completed at the National Assembly,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that after the federal legislature concludes work on the proposal, it would be transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval.

He noted that the constitutional amendment would require the support of at least two-thirds of the state assemblies before state police could become operational.

Bamidele appealed to governors and state lawmakers across the federation to treat the proposal as a matter of national importance rather than subjecting it to partisan or ethno-religious considerations.

He also urged both federal and state governments to fully implement the Safe School Initiative as an interim measure to curb insecurity in schools and reduce the number of out-of-school children, currently estimated at 18.3 million nationwide.

“The incessant abduction of students and teachers is a tragic national concern that negates our national development indices. We cannot and must not allow it to continue,” he said.

“At the National Assembly, we will rise against this trend and put an end to it through the instrumentality of legislation.

“As soon as the National Assembly resumes plenary on June 2, we will perfect all outstanding legislative initiatives introduced to decisively address security challenges in the federation.

“One of such initiatives is the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution that seeks to establish state police, which is now at an advanced stage.

Another is the amendment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 aimed at strengthening the system of consequences in the country’s justice sector and discouraging heinous crimes nationwide.”

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A major political shift has emerged in Jigawa State as four-term House of Representatives member, Sa’idu Yusuf Miga, lost his return ticket in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Miga, who represents the Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency, was dropped during Saturday’s primaries, bringing an end to his long tenure in the National Assembly after nearly two decades in federal politics.

He first entered the House of Representatives in 2003 under the NNPP before joining the APC during the 2014 political realignment that led to the party’s rise to power in 2015. He went on to win re-election in 2015, 2019, and 2023.

However, despite his long service, growing dissatisfaction among constituents is believed to have contributed to his defeat in the party primaries.

Residents and youth groups had repeatedly accused him of poor representation, limited constituency projects, and weak legislative output since the start of the 10th National Assembly.

Earlier this month, youths under the group “Jahun Ina Muka Dosa” staged a peaceful protest, urging the APC leadership to replace him with a more active representative.

The protesters, led by youth leaders including Shamsu Sulaiman Alafin, Nura Wada, and Comrade Muhammad Khamisu Harbo, submitted their complaints to the APC leadership and Governor Umar Namadi.

Following the primaries, the APC presented Umar Imam as the party’s new candidate for the Jahun/Miga Federal Constituency.

Political observers say the outcome reflects increasing voter demand for accountability and performance-driven representation, with constituents now prioritising visible development impact over long-term incumbency.