The security guards who have not been paid their salaries for up to seven months decided to lock up the gates of the model primary schools against the pupils and their teachers on the first day of resumption for the first time.
However; officials from the Ministry of Education accompanied by security operatives, moved from one school to another, forcing the gates open to make way for pupils and teachers.
Our correspondent reports that some of the protesting guards of the model primary schools who tried to put up resistance were manhandled and beaten up by the security operatives.
The government-owned model primary schools monitored are located within Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt City local government councils.
The spokesman for the security guards, GODSWILL NWUKE accused the Rivers State Government of insincerity is resolving the crisis.
In his response; the Commissioner for Education, Professor KANIYE EBEKU said the Rivers State Government does not have any contract with the security guards.
Professor EBEKU said the aggrieved security guards should have taken their complaint to the law court to seek redress over their unpaid salaries.
He condemned the action of the security guards in locking up the schools, stressing that it was not their property.
