Smiley Kids Montessori School, located in Heritage Place Estate, Sangotedo area of Lagos State has been shut down following the controversial death of a 2-year-old pupil, Rapheala Ogbodo.
The school was sealed on Saturday, January 18, by the Lagos State Government.
In an announcement posted on X via its official page, the state government said that officials from the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Office of Education Quality Assurance, under the Ministry of Education visited to school on a fact-finding mission.
The post said the school has been completely sealed off to make room for thorough investigation into the death of the child while in school.
According to the government, its investigation would also help identify lapses that could have led to the death of the pupil.
The Lagos State Government said, “The attention of the Lagos State Safety Commission has been drawn to the swimming pool accident that occurred at Smiley Kids Montessori, Heritage Place Estate, Sangotedo, Lagos, on Wednesday, 15th January 2025, which led to the death of a two-year-old female, Rapheala Ogbodo.
“The officials of the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education have visited the scene of the accident to carry out a preliminary investigation and ascertain the root cause of the unfortunate incident,” the post added.
The government also expressed its sympathy to the family of the deceased child while adding that it is committment to ensuring there are no recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.
Details of the investigation would be made public, the Director-General of the Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, said.
“Mojola further stated that further information would be made available upon completion of investigations into the accident,” he added.
The action by the Lagos State government followed an outcry by a Nigerian woman simply identified as Ella on social media.
According to Ella, her daughter had gone to school only to be returned to her dead with the school claiming the 2-year-lld drowned in the facility’s swimming pool.
Stating that she was sending foul play, Ella called for justice over the passing of Rapheala.
