Police officers were on Wednesday deployed to Kings College, Lagos to maintain peace amid ongoing disputes over the proposed concession of the school.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the school on Wednesday, observed patrol vehicles stationed at the main entrance and barricaded parts of the adjoining roads.
Also, armed officers were seen conducting routine checks within and around the premises.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deployment was a preventive measure to ensure safety of lives and property and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
He said there was a meeting ongoing to address the issue.
The meeting, he said, was among workers of the school, members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and representatives of the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA).
Earlier, ASCSN had issued a statement, calling on Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to withdraw the police from the premises.
The statement, signed by the ASCSN National President Shehu Mohammed and General-Secretary Joshua Apebo had followed a dispute that occurred at the school premises on Tuesday.
The association had accused the police of acting in concert with KCOBA to forcefully open the gates of the school at the time when dialogue and lawful processes were underway.
‘’This act has effectively undermined and stalled the implementation of understandings reached by the Federal Ministry of Education, Trade Union Congress, and ASCSN, ‘’ it said.
Efforts to speak with KCOBA proved abortive as the police officer said no one was allowed into the premises as at the time of the report. (NAN)
