After Initial Denial, Police Defend Use of Tear Gas on Lagos Pensioners

Nigeria’s police force first rejected the image, then defended the tear gas. Barely 12 hours after the Lagos State Police Command said a photograph showing pensioners being tear-gassed was AI-generated, the force defended the use of proportionate force during the protest.

Lagos police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi warned the public against creating, sharing or amplifying unverified information. She said the image did not represent what happened at the protest venue and could mislead the public, fuel tension and undermine confidence in the police.

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The photograph in circulation is AI-generated and does not represent what transpired at the protest venue.

But force spokesperson CSP Anietie Iniedu acknowledged the incident during a joint briefing in Abuja, referring to “the unfortunate incident in Lagos, where pensioners were tear-gassed.” He said the Constitution did not allow citizens or groups to act disorderly while presenting grievances, and argued that police could use proportionate force to disperse such gatherings.

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The next issue concerns the unfortunate incident in Lagos, where pensioners were tear-gassed.

Iniedu said the Inspector-General of Police had twice invited the pensioners to his office and directed them on how to present their complaints. He also cited earlier breaches involving pensioners, including an incident at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and the blocking of several highways in the Federal Capital Territory.

He urged the pensioners to continue pursuing their demands through orderly channels, saying the inspector-general and the police supported their complaints. Civil society organisation Global Rights, however, strongly condemned what it described as the disruption of a peaceful protest by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.

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The law permits the Nigeria Police Force to use proportionate force in quelling any riotous or disorderly gathering.