Scores Injured As Students, Police Clash In Lagos Over School Fees

Fracas broke out, Monday, in Epe area of Lagos, leading to injuries on scores of students of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education. The entire Noforija community was equally thrown into disarray.

According to an eye witness, the school authority had earlier issued a directive that the students should complete payment of their fees to be eligible for the first semester examinations which began yesterday.

Some of the students were said to have complied with the directive while others did not, a situation which made the  authorities to bar erring students from writing the examinations.

One of the students who pleaded anonymity said the situation made some of the affected students to protest the development, which also stalled the examination as the eligible students had to abandon the examination halls.

The Provost of the school, who was not happy with the development, ordered the eligible students to return to the examination rooms to complete their papers, assuring them of security.
In the process, the school called for the support of the Police and policemen were dispatched to the school. Some of the protesting students were arrested.

In retaliation, the students attacked the armed Policemen and this led to further fracas between both parties. At the end of the day, the Policemen fired some shots and scores of the students were said to have been injured.

A student of Computer studies who pleaded anonymity said a sum of N50,000 was being charged as school fee in her department which was not affordable to many.

‘’We have pleaded with the school authority to give room for instalmental payment which they did not consent to. Rather than settling the issue amicably, the school authority hindered many from writing the examinations and this fuelled yesterday’s crisis, ‘’ said the student.

As at the time of filling this report, the number of injured students could not be ascertained but sources hinted that none of the Policemen were injured and a student whose identity was yet to be ascertained was shot in the lower part of his abdomen by one of the Policemen.

Effort to reach the school authority however proved abortive.

Naij