The Iya Oge of Lagos, Opral Benson, who was earlier declared missing by her family, has reportedly been located in Liberia.

A source close to the family confirmed the development on Tuesday evening, saying the 90-year-old socialite may be experiencing age-related health challenges.

“They have located her in Liberia. I think she might be suffering from dementia due to old age,” the source told Sahara Reporters.

Benson’s family had raised the alarm on Sunday after her whereabouts remained unknown for more than 48 hours.

In a public notice, the family said she was last seen on January 13 and had not returned home since, describing the situation as time-sensitive.

“The family reports that Mama Opral Benson has been missing since Tuesday, January 13, 2026. She has not returned home and her current whereabouts are unknown,” the notice read.

They appealed to members of the public to assist with information that could lead to her location.

“Anyone who has seen her, or has any information, no matter how small, is urged to contact us immediately.

“Call 08037039214. Alternatively, please report to the nearest police station. This is time-sensitive. Please share immediately.”

Efforts to reach the family through the phone number provided in the notice were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered and text messages were not returned as of the time of filing this report.

Born on February 7, 1935, Opral Benson is an American-Liberian and Nigerian entrepreneur and socialite.

She holds the prestigious traditional title of Iya Oge of Lagos and was married to the late Chief T.O.S. Benson from 1962 until his death.

A former university administrator, Benson has had a long career in education, fashion, and corporate administration. She manages a fashion and beauty school in Lagos and previously served as a director at Johnson’s Products, the Nigerian affiliate of the multinational brand.

In 2012, she was appointed Honorary Consul of Liberia in Lagos, further strengthening her ties to both Nigeria and Liberia.

A parent, Muibat Owoeye, has accused the management of Troika Multilingual School in the Lekki area of Lagos State of expelling her two children from the school, as reported by The PUNCH.

She claimed that neither she nor the two children committed any offence before the school took the decision.

Owoeye, who shared her experience on X on Friday, stated that the incident occurred on Monday, January 12.

According to her, the children, aged two and six, were removed from the school with immediate effect despite having resumed classes earlier that day.

She further alleged that the school had decided, despite having paid her children’s school fees, to proceed with the investigation even though they were not accused of any misconduct.

She wrote, “On 12th January 2026, my two young children, aged 2 and 6, were abruptly excluded from their school, Troika Multilingual School, Igbo Efon, Lekki, Lagos, with immediate effect.

“There was no prior notice, no investigation, and no fair hearing. My children were not accused of any misconduct, and school fees for the term had already been fully paid. In fact, the children resumed school that morning. Later that afternoon, I received a message from the school informing me that they had been withdrawn with immediate effect.”

Owoeye, however, described the action as shocking and distressing. She also noted that it was difficult to explain to young children why they could no longer return to a place they associated with learning and safety.

The parent further claimed that the decision was connected to a dispute between her and the proprietor of the school.

“They did nothing wrong, yet they were affected by an issue involving me and the proprietor of the school, an issue for which the proprietor had earlier apologised. Education should never be used as leverage, and children should never be made to bear the consequences of disputes that have nothing to do with them,” she added.

Owoeye further claimed that the decision was connected to a dispute between her and the proprietor of the school, an issue she said had earlier been resolved with an apology from the school owner.

“Education should never be used as leverage, and children should never be made to bear the consequences of disputes that have nothing to do with them.

Licensed private schools operate within regulatory frameworks that require due process, professionalism, and a commitment to the best interest of the child,” she said.

Owoeye disclosed that she had petitioned the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education over the matter and had also instructed her lawyers to take steps to protect her children’s rights.

She said she decided to speak out not out of malice but to seek accountability and to prevent similar experiences for other parents.

“Children deserve care, fairness, and protection. Parents deserve transparency and respect, while schools deserve oversight and accountability,” she added.

When contacted on Monday, the school did not respond to calls made to the contact number provided on its official website. A text message sent to the number had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs in the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Kayode Sutton, while responding to enquiries by PUNCH Metro on Monday, said the department in charge of such complaints would have started an investigation into the matter.

He said, “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 in that regard.”

Incidents involving face-offs between parents and the management of schools have, in recent years, drawn increased attention from education stakeholders in Lagos State. This relates to concerns about due process and the protection of children’s rights.

PUNCH Metro reported in 2023 that the Lagos State Government shut down Greater Scholars International School in the Ajah area of the state over the defilement of a four-year-old pupil.

The parents of Aneesah Abdulkarim, a baby diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, has accused Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, of medical mismanagement, child rights abuse and financial exploitation.

Aneesah was born on July 27, 2025, but barely six weeks later, doctors discovered she was living with Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) — a condition her parents say required urgent surgical intervention.

“The initial echocardiography report clearly stated that our baby needed surgery before three months of age,” her father, Engr. Dr. Abdulkarim Baba Rabiu, told NewsHeadline247. “We were warned that delaying the procedure could lead to serious complications.”

In search of specialised care, the family contacted Duchess International Hospital on September 16, 2025, through its Centre Manager. According to Dr. Rabiu, the hospital reviewed Aneesah’s medical reports and assured the family it had the expertise, manpower and equipment to handle the delicate pediatric cardiac surgery.

Two days later, an invoice was issued.

“They raised a bill of ₦14,305,000 for the surgery and told us that once payment was made, the procedure would be done immediately,” Dr. Rabiu said.

The family paid the full amount on October 6, 2025, trusting that their daughter’s life would soon be saved.

Shifting Medical Advice and Mounting Anxiety

Following payment, Aneesah was brought to the hospital on October 11 for preoperative assessment. However, the parents allege that only one test was conducted successfully, with the hospital blaming faulty equipment for the others.

“We were surprised that most of the preoperative tests could not be done because the equipment was ‘not in good condition,’” the father said. “Yet, we had already paid in full.”

More troubling for the family was what came next. According to them, the hospital suddenly changed its position on the urgency of the surgery.

“After payment, they told us the surgery was no longer an emergency and could wait until six months,” Dr. Rabiu said. “This was completely different from what our cardiologist and their initial assessment told us.”

Despite repeated emails and calls questioning the delay, the family says no clear explanation was provided. Eventually, they were informed that the surgery had been scheduled for December 19, 2025, with admission fixed for the day before.

Even that plan shifted at the last minute.

“Just two days to admission, they changed the date again and asked us to come late at night,” the father said. “At that point, we were exhausted but had no other option.”

A Surgery That Never Happened

On December 20, 2025, after hours of fasting in preparation for surgery, Aneesah was taken into the operating theatre. Three hours later, the parents were summoned by the surgical team.

What they were told, they say, left them shattered.

“One of the surgeons explained that after opening our baby’s chest, they discovered her pulmonary arterial pressure was too high,” Dr. Rabiu recounted. “They said they did not have the equipment to safely proceed.”

According to the parents, the procedure was abandoned.

“They opened her chest and stitched her back without repairing her heart,” he said. “That was not what we paid for.”

The parents were later allowed to see their daughter in the Cardio Care Unit.

“She was wrapped in bandages, with wires connected to her tiny body,” Dr. Rabiu said. “Seeing her in that condition was devastating!”

ICU Care, Complications and a Financial Shock

Aneesah was subsequently transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where she developed infections including pneumonia and sepsis, conditions the parents attribute to the failed surgical intervention.

As the baby struggled to stabilise, another shock arrived.

“On December 31, a billing officer brought a statement showing they would refund just ₦1.63 million out of over ₦14 million,” Dr. Rabiu said. “We were completely stunned.”

A meeting with the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olajide Ojo, followed. The parents say a verbal refund proposal of ₦6 million was made and rejected, before a revised offer of ₦7.65 million was later communicated.

“We found the offer grossly inadequate and psychologically traumatizing,” the father said. “Our baby was opened and closed without repair, yet we were expected to bear most of the cost.”

Demands and Allegations

The family now accuses Duchess International Hospital of misleading medical advice, inadequate pre-surgical assessment, lack of capacity to manage pediatric cardiac cases and violation of their child’s rights.

“They accepted payment to repair our child’s heart, not to open and close her for referral services,” Dr. Rabiu said.

The parents are demanding a full refund, continued medical care at no cost until Aneesah is fit to travel, support for overseas referral to India, a formal apology, and compensation for what they describe as emotional, psychological and physical trauma.

“We went to the hospital for healing,” the father said. “Instead, our baby’s life was put in greater danger.”

Hospital’s Response

Responding to enquiries from NewsHeadline247, Dr. Olajide Ojo, on behalf of Duchess International Hospital, said the hospital could not comment on specific details due to patient confidentiality laws.

“We are bound by strict legal and ethical obligations of confidentiality and patient privacy,” the statement read.

However, the hospital assured the public that the matter is being reviewed internally.

“All petitions and complaints received are subjected to thorough internal review processes, including clinical audits and management oversight, in line with our quality assurance standards,” the hospital stated.

Speaking further, Dr. Rabiu lamented that Aneesah’s condition has continued to worsen with each passing day, stressing that the same urgency with which the family was compelled to pay the ₦14,305,000 bill should now be applied to an immediate refund.

“Aneesah’s health is deteriorating daily. The urgency that pushed us to make full payment should equally be used in returning our money,” he said.

He added that as a medical institution, Duchess International Hospital should fully understand the fragility of his daughter’s condition and the dangers of further delay. According to him, the family cannot afford to wait while the hospital conducts internal audits or hides behind confidentiality claims.

“Our child may not have the luxury of time for internal reviews, privacy clauses or bureaucratic delays. After their medical inadequacies and misguidance, time should not be wasted. It is deeply painful to witness some healthcare providers in Nigeria deliver care in a way that strips patients of dignity, compassion and basic human feeling,” Dr. Rabiu stated.

As the dispute deepens, Aneesah’s case has raised broader questions about medical accountability, patient trust and pediatric care standards in Nigeria’s private health sector.

For one family, the search for justice continues — alongside the fight to keep their baby alive.