Ogun and federal experts probe methane smell in Ijebu-Ode after four incidents

Ogun State has brought in federal experts to trace the source of a gas smell that has troubled Ijebu-Ode and nearby communities, after four separate emission incidents were reported.

The state government said a team from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has begun work in the area, looking at how the gas is spreading and where it may be coming from.

The team is led by the commission's deputy director, Mr Omonedo Prosper. According to a statement from the governor's office, state officials first briefed the team on what had already been done.

The statement was signed by Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Residents have complained of a strong, unpleasant smell that keeps returning, and many are worried about what it means for their health and for the environment.

What the state is saying

Akinmade said the government would share the investigation's findings quickly and put preventive measures in place. He also said affected communities would get health support and monitoring.

He named Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu East and Odogbolu, along with other parts of Ogun East, as areas that need attention while the checks continue.

"We believe that collaboration with the Federal Government and research institutions is crucial," Akinmade said.

He said the state would carry out the team's recommendations once the investigation ends, to stop the emissions from coming back.

The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, has said the state is working with the Federal Government on the matter. He advised residents to take precautions when the smell is strong and said the gas is not lethal.

Professor Ikhane Phillips, who heads the Department of Earth Sciences at Olabisi Onabanjo University, has explained how the checks will work. He said laboratory analysis of the gas would show what it is made of, while underground surveys would help show where it is coming from and how it moves.

A local group, Ijebu Para'po Info Media, welcomed the intervention and said it hoped the investigation would bring a permanent solution.

What happens next

The NUPRC team will keep examining the emission patterns and possible sources. The state says it will publish the findings and act on them, and that it will keep working with federal agencies and technical experts until the problem is solved.