The Lagos State Government has shut down a school where a two-year-old died following a swimming pool incident.
Rapheala Ogbodo’s mother had gone on social media to demand answers over her baby’s death who was said to have drowned in the school’s swimming pool.
“Smiley School International, Sangotedo, Lagos Island, please, bring her back. We cannot bear this alone,” the bereaved mother wrote on her X handle with a photo of her daughter attached.
“Please, if you have your child in that school beware. They lied they were closed due to maintenance. I lost my Pinky Ella.”
Following her outcry, the Lagos State Safety Commission said its officials, the Office of Education Quality Assurance, and the Ministry of Education have visited the accident scene “to conduct a preliminary investigation and ascertain the root cause of the unfortunate incident.
“While the school is presently under lock pending further investigation, the State Government extends its deepest condolences to the family of the victim and expresses its commitment to preventing future occurrences,” a statement from the agency read.
The bereaved mother alleged that her daughter was electrocuted and not drowned as she was told.
She said the school’s pool has a high barricade to keep children away, wondering how a two-year-old could cross the barrier.
The Director-General of the Safety Commission Lanre Mojola said that “further information would be made available upon completion of investigations into the accident”.
Mojola maintained that “school owners and caregivers must comply with safety regulations to prevent accidents in the state.”
