A Lagos-based parent, Mrs. Muibat Owoeye, has petitioned the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, alleging that Troika Multilingual School, Igbo Efon, Lekki, unlawfully expelled her two children without due process.
Owoeye claimed that the institution removed her children, aged two and six, from the school premises on January 12, 2026, despite having paid the term’s fees in full and the pupils having attended classes that same morning.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the aggrieved parent said the expulsion was executed without prior notice, investigation, or fair hearing.
“My two young children were abruptly excluded from their school with immediate effect. There was no prior notice, no investigation, and no fair hearing. My children were not accused of any misconduct,” she stated.
Owoeye described the experience as traumatic, noting the difficulty in explaining to young children why they could no longer attend a place they associated with learning and safety.
She further alleged that the decision stemmed from a personal dispute between herself and the school’s proprietor—a matter she claimed had been previously resolved with an apology from the school owner.
“They did nothing wrong, yet they were affected by an issue involving me and the proprietor. Education should never be used as leverage, and children should never bear the consequences of disputes that have nothing to do with them,” she said.
The mother added that licensed private schools operate within regulatory frameworks requiring due process, professionalism, and commitment to the child’s best interest.
Having engaged legal representation, Owoeye said her decision to speak publicly was driven not by malice but by the need for accountability and to prevent similar occurrences.
“Children deserve care, fairness, and protection. Parents deserve transparency and respect, while schools deserve oversight and accountability,” she stated.
When contacted on Monday, the school did not respond to telephone calls made to the contact number listed on its official website. A text message sent to the number remained unanswered as of press time.
Responding to enquiries from our correspondent, Mr. Kayode Sutton, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, confirmed that the department overseeing private schools would have commenced investigations into the complaint.
“We have a department that deals with private schools. I’m sure they must have started investigating it, and without the conclusions of the investigation, there’s nothing to speak of. If the school has gone against the rules that guide it in this matter, the Lagos State Government can come in and sanction it accordingly,” Sutton said.