King’s College Old Boys Seek Probe of Students’ Involvement in PTA Protest

• Accuse PTA of using minors to malign education minister •Cite possible breaches of child’s rights, cybercrimes acts King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) has called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the participation of students of King’s College Lagos in recent protests by sections of the school’s Parents–Teachers Association (PTA) against the federal government’s concession of the institution. KCOBA, while acknowledging the right of the PTA and other stakeholders to challenge government policies, condemned what it described as the “weaponisation” of underage students in the dispute, particularly their alleged participation in protests where they chanted against the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa. In a statement issued in Lagos, the association said the participation of children in the protest raised serious questions about their welfare, dignity, safety and the possible legal implications of recording and disseminating their participation on social media. The release was signed by Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu (SAN), Chairman, KCOBA Board of Trustees; Chief Philip Asiodu, immediate Past Chairman, KCOBA Board of Trustees; Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, President, KCOBA; Dr. Leke Oshunniyi Secretary, KCOBA Board of Trustees and Etigwe Uwa (SAN), General Secretary, KCOBA. The old boys’ association said it was particularly disturbed by video recordings showing students in school uniform participating in the protests and chanting the words against Alausa, arguing that there was a fundamental difference between challenging a government policy and encouraging children to publicly malign a serving public officer. “There is a profound difference between voicing a dissent about a policy and teaching children to publicly brand a serving Federal Minister a ‘thief’ without any evidence or justification,” the group stated. The association also questioned the circumstances in which the students were mobilised, asking who authorised their participation, what they were instructed to say and whether adequate consideration was given to their welfare and dignity. It said the controversy went beyond the concession of the school, describing it as a question of the character and values being imparted to Nigerian children. KCOBA further urged the relevant authorities to examine whether the participation and subsequent dissemination of recordings involving the minors breached provisions of the Child’s Rights Act. According to the association, Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act protects a child’s right to dignity and prohibits physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment, including attacks upon a child’s honour or reputation. It therefore called for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the mobilisation of the students and their participation in the protest. The association also raised what it described as a “serious digital dimension” to the incident, arguing that the recording and online dissemination of material involving identifiable schoolchildren required scrutiny. KCOBA said the publication of statements portraying an identifiable public official as a thief could raise questions under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, as amended in 2024, particularly where such statements were allegedly false and disseminated through computer systems. It stressed that it had not prejudged the criminal liability of any protester but maintained that the circumstances warranted a “painstaking investigation” to determine whether any provisions of the Cybercrimes Act or Child’s Rights Act had been violated. The association consequently called on the appropriate authorities to investigate the conduct of those involved and sanction anyone found to have breached the law. Beyond the immediate protest, KCOBA defended its record of supporting King’s College, rejecting what it described as attempts by some protesters to portray old boys as seeking to undermine the institution. KCOBA argued that its interventions demonstrated that its position on the current controversy was driven by its commitment to the institution and its students rather than opposition to legitimate scrutiny of the proposed concession. The association said it was not asking the PTA to abandon its concerns over the concession, insisting that stakeholders remained entitled to ask questions and express their views. “Let nobody misconstrue our position,” KCOBA said, adding that the PTA could express its opinion but should not “take the laws into its hands” or engage in conduct that could contravene Nigerian laws. It also warned against placing schoolchildren at the centre of adult disputes, stressing that their safety, health, dignity and education should take precedence over the immediate objectives of any protest campaign. The old boys called for an immediate end to the use of King’s College students in protests or mob action, an inquiry into the mobilisation of the minors and a forensic examination of recordings and their online dissemination. It also demanded investigation of online publications that may have contravened the Cybercrimes Act and Child’s Rights Act, as well as appropriate sanctions against any teacher or parent found, after investigation, to have breached the law. KCOBA maintained that King’s College, which opened in 1909, was established to provide young Nigerians with a high standard of education and prepare them for professional and public life. It said the institution’s legacy required all stakeholders to demonstrate responsibility, discipline and respect for the law in resolving disagreements.