Police fire tear gas at pensioners protesting arrears at Lagos House

Police fired tear gas at pensioners gathered outside Lagos House in Ikeja, adding a forceful confrontation to a dispute over unpaid increases, wage awards and other benefits.

The retirees, drawn from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and the Contributory Pension Scheme, went to the government premises to demand that Lagos State implement pension increases and settle arrears they say have accumulated. The protest took place on the deadline they had set for the government to respond to their grievances.

The pensioners have warned that they will stage a larger demonstration on Aug. 31 if the state does not act, particularly on pension enhancement and wage awards. Their demand also reflects a wider policy dispute. The National Pension Commission previously asked Lagos to extend periodic increases granted to retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme to those covered by the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The disagreement has continued despite government assurances on pension payments. In an earlier response to complaints, the Lagos State Pension Commission said the government had paid 168 billion naira to about 48,000 pensioners. The retirees, however, say unpaid increases and other benefits have left many under financial strain as living costs rise.

The use of tear gas has now become a central point of contention, with pensioners questioning the decision to disperse them. The Lagos government and police had not issued statements on the incident when the report was filed.