By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Outrage continues to mount over the death of Okolie Ngozi Blessing, whose family is calling for justice against OAR Medical Centre in Lagos.
After undergoing fibroid surgery at the facility on March 28, 2026, Blessing’s subsequent passing has sparked accusations of gross medical negligence and a demand for immediate government intervention.
Her brother, Okolie Nzubechukwu Caleb, who spoke with Persecondnews in an exclusive interview on telephone, alleged that a surgical instrument was left inside her abdomen during the procedure, triggering complications that eventually led to her death.
According to him, the surgery was initially declared successful, but her condition began to deteriorate within hours.
“Just four hours after the surgery, they gave her milk and Milo,” he told Persecondnews.
By March 31, he said, she began experiencing severe abdominal pain and swelling.
“My sister was complaining of serious stomach pain and her stomach started bloating. We kept suggesting that the hospital should run a scan, but they refused, saying nothing alarming would show,” he alleged.
The family said repeated pleas for further medical evaluation were ignored as her condition worsened over several days.
It was not until April 7 about 10 days after the surgery that the hospital referred her for a scan.
“At the first clinic, we found out they didn’t even have scanning equipment. We insisted on going to another facility, and that was when the scan revealed that an artery forceps had been left inside her stomach,” he said.
Despite her deteriorating state, the hospital proceeded with a second surgery to remove the object, ignoring the family’s request for referral.
“We begged them to refer her to a better hospital because she was already too weak, but they refused and went ahead with the operation,” he added.
The situation took a critical turn on April 11 when the family alleged that the hospital experienced a power failure while she was on oxygen support.
“At about 3 a.m., they said they had no fuel again for the generator. That was when we decided to take her out and rush her to LASUTH,” he said.
Okolie further alleged that the attending doctor, Dr. Abiodun Ojifinni, was frequently absent during key moments of her treatment.
She was later admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where she died a day after admission.
“At LASUTH, after just one day in the ICU, they told us her heart had stopped. My sister, Blessing Okolie, could no longer breathe,” he said.
He had earlier taken to his Instagram page, @street_cobbled, where he shared photographs of his late sister showing her struggling for survival, alongside details of her ordeal.
In the Persecond News exclusive interview, he gave further insight into the events, maintaining that negligence played a major role in her death.
He called on the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiyya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, to intervene and ensure a thorough investigation.
“My sister is dead, but the hospital is still functioning and the doctor is still working. We want accountability so that no other family will go through this kind of pain,” demanded the grieving brother.
Dr. Abiodun Ojifinni and the hospital were unavailable for comment before filing this report.
Authorities have not yet addressed the family’s claims officially.
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