Tension erupted at King’s College, Lagos, on Tuesday as protesting members of the school’s staff unions clashed with security personnel over attempts to open the institution’s main gate for members of the Old Boys’ Association.

The old students had arrived at the college to hold a press conference on the proposed Public-Private Partnership arrangement for the management and rehabilitation of the school.

However, the protesting workers blocked access to the premises, forcing the President of the Old Boys’ Association, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, and other members to address journalists outside the main gate.

Ibrahim-Imam said the Federal Government had approved the transfer of the management of the century-old institution to the Old Boys’ Association under a PPP arrangement aimed at rehabilitating its deteriorating infrastructure.

He stressed that the arrangement was neither a sale nor privatisation of King’s College, saying the association had no intention of taking ownership of the school.

According to him, the Old Boys’ Association had consistently supported infrastructure development at the college and was seeking to expand that contribution under the new arrangement.

“There is a lot of misinformation, especially concerning school fees. At no time did the Old Boys imply that we are going to increase school fees. Our objective is to develop the college.

“My personal aspiration is very modest. I want to take the school back to where I met it as a student. Now, all the facilities are dilapidated,” Ibrahim-Imam said.

He described the association’s intervention as a “rescue mission,” noting that the condition of the facilities was understandable given the age of the institution.

Ibrahim-Imam also assured teachers who chose to remain under the PPP arrangement that their salaries and allowances would be doubled.

“For those who will elect to remain as teachers in King’s College, we will double their salaries and allowances,” he said.

He added that workers who did not wish to continue under the new arrangement would remain employees of the Federal Ministry of Education and could be transferred to other federal schools, including Federal Government College, Ijanikin, or Queen’s College.

The Old Boys’ president said the association was driven by a desire to give back to the institution, which currently has about 2,500 students.

The press briefing later became heated as protesting workers sang solidarity songs while the Old Boys attempted to render the school anthem.

The situation eventually drew the intervention of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, who led police personnel to the school to prevent further escalation.

During the attempt to open the gate, some protesting workers were seen on the ground, with one being given water after appearing to struggle for breath. At least one protester was also taken away in a police vehicle.

Tijani said the police intervened to prevent a breakdown of law and order and protect lives and property.

“I told them you have a right to protest but where their right stops, another man’s rights begin,” the commissioner said.

He explained that the Old Boys had informed the police that they had received government approval to renovate the school and wanted to hold their meeting inside the premises, but the protesters had locked the gate.

According to him, both sides eventually agreed to hold a dialogue inside the school on Wednesday, with each group expected to nominate representatives.

However, the National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum, Andrew Emelieze, said the workers would sustain their protest until the government reverses the concession.

“King’s College is not for concessioning. King’s College is not for sale. King’s College is not for privatisation. Unity Schools are not for sale, and we are here peacefully,” Emelieze said.

He accused the authorities of using force against workers exercising their constitutional right to protest and called on the government to take responsibility for funding and rehabilitating public schools.

“Government has a responsibility and should meet it. Education should be a right. It should be prioritised, not privatised,” he added.

Emelieze said the workers would return to the school on Wednesday, insisting that the protest would continue until the concession decision was reversed.