Police deny teargassing Lagos pensioners, CDHR demands probe

Lagos police have denied firing tear gas at pensioners during a protest over unpaid entitlements, calling reports of the alleged incident “false and misleading.”

The pensioners gathered on Monday at the Lagos State Government Secretariat and House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja. They were pressing for outstanding pension adjustments, consequential increases and wage awards, which retired public servants say the state government has not paid.

The police command said images circulating on social media did not prove that tear gas had been used. It claimed that one photograph associated with the protest had been generated with artificial intelligence. Police spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi said, “not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest.”

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False and misleading.

According to the command, approximately 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Lagos State Council, attended the demonstration. Police units from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force and nearby divisional headquarters were deployed under the direction of the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations.

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights has called for an investigation into the allegation and urged the government to pay the retirees’ outstanding benefits. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana had also demanded the arrest and prosecution of officers allegedly involved, following reports that the protest was dispersed by police intervention.

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Not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest.