Lagos police deny tear-gassing pensioners as #EndBadGovernance demands CP’s sack

Lagos police deny tear-gassing pensioners as #EndBadGovernance demands CP’s sack

The Lagos State Police Command has denied allegations that its officers tear-gassed pensioners during a protest at the Lagos House in Ikeja, even as the #EndBadGovernance movement and other civil society groups demanded the immediate removal of Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai over the disputed incident.

The controversy followed Monday’s protest by members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), who gathered at the Lagos State Government premises in Alausa to demand the implementation of approved pension increases, wage awards, payment of arrears and other outstanding retirement benefits.

Several reports published after the protest alleged that police officers deployed tear gas to disperse the elderly protesters. Premium Times, Vanguard, The Guardian and other news organisations reported that tear gas was used during the demonstration. (Premium Times Nigeria)

However, the Lagos Police Command has strongly rejected the allegation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the reports as “false and misleading”, insisting that no tear-gas canister was fired throughout the protest.

The police said approximately 500 pensioners participated in the demonstration, which began at about 8:30am on Monday, August 31, and was led by NUP Lagos chairman Michael Omishade and Nigeria Labour Congress chairperson Agnes Funmi Sesse. (Punch)

According to the command, officers from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force and various divisional headquarters were deployed to maintain law and order and protect the protesters and other members of the public.

The police said the security operation was coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations.

The command further stated that the protesters were addressed by the Lagos State Governor’s Chief of Staff, Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, after which the NUP executives proceeded to an indoor meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall.

The meeting reportedly lasted about three hours, while the protesters later dispersed peacefully at about 4:30pm. The police said the area remained calm and that no adverse incident was recorded.

The command also challenged the authenticity of a photograph circulated on social media that purportedly showed security personnel tear-gassing the pensioners.

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According to the police, the photograph was AI-generated and did not represent what happened at the protest venue. The command urged the public to be cautious about sharing unverified material capable of creating tension or undermining confidence in security agencies.

Despite the police denial, the #EndBadGovernance movement in Lagos has maintained its allegation and called for the immediate sack of Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai.

In a statement signed by Oloye Adegboyega-Adeniji and Hassan Taiwo Soweto, the movement described the alleged treatment of the elderly protesters as an “unpardonable assault” and demanded the arrest and prosecution of police personnel allegedly involved.

The group also demanded an unreserved public apology from the Lagos State Government and urged the administration to resolve the pensioners’ grievances over pension adjustments, wage awards, arrears and other outstanding entitlements.

The movement argued that retirees who spent decades serving the state should not be subjected to force while demanding benefits they believe are legitimately owed to them.

It also accused the Lagos State Police Command of what it described as a recurring pattern of alleged assaults on civil liberties, linking Monday’s controversy to an earlier January 28 anti-eviction protest in Alausa.

According to the movement, police officers allegedly used tear gas and excessive force during that protest, while some protesters were arrested and their belongings seized.

The group said the alleged treatment of pensioners showed what it described as a broader pattern of using police force against citizens exercising their right to peaceful assembly.

The #EndBadGovernance movement therefore called on Amnesty International, human rights organisations and other concerned citizens to investigate what it described as a dangerous erosion of civil liberties in Lagos.

It also demanded the establishment of an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the conduct of the Lagos State Police Command in managing public protests and demonstrations from August 1, 2024, to date.

The proposed panel, according to the group, should examine allegations of police violence, arrests, intimidation, tear-gas deployment and other forms of excessive force, including the January 28 protest and Monday’s demonstration by pensioners.

It further called for any officers or authorities found responsible for violations to face appropriate disciplinary or criminal sanctions.

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) have also called for the removal and prosecution of the Lagos police commissioner over the alleged tear-gassing of the retirees.

The groups accused the police of using force against elderly citizens who were demanding payment of outstanding pension adjustments, wage awards and other benefits. (Sahara Reporters)

Meanwhile, Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, also condemned the alleged use of tear gas against the pensioners and called for the identification, arrest, investigation and prosecution of officers allegedly responsible.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has similarly called for action over reports that police officers used tear gas during the demonstration, demanding that the officers allegedly involved be identified and prosecuted.

The controversy is rooted in a longstanding disagreement between some Lagos pensioners and the state government over the implementation of pension increases, consequential adjustments, wage awards and payment of arrears.

The retirees had reportedly given the Lagos State Government an August 31 deadline to address some of their outstanding demands before staging Monday’s demonstration. (Vanguard News)

The Lagos State Government has, however, defended its record on pension matters.

The government said the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) had paid N168.2 billion to more than 48,000 retirees since the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.

It also said that between May 2019 and August 2026, about N92 billion had been disbursed in accrued rights to more than 25,000 retirees.

The government has described its pension record as one of the strongest in the history of Lagos State and said it remains committed to the welfare of retired public servants.

The retirees, however, continue to insist that specific pension adjustments, wage awards and arrears remain unresolved.

The conflicting accounts over Monday’s protest have now shifted the focus from the pensioners’ demands to the conduct of the security personnel deployed at the scene.

While multiple reports said tear gas was used against the protesters, the police have categorically denied firing any tear gas and have disputed the authenticity of a widely circulated photograph supporting the allegation. (Premium Times Nigeria)

The competing claims make an independent investigation potentially significant in determining exactly what happened during the protest and whether any police officers used excessive force.

For the pensioners, however, the underlying dispute remains their demand for the implementation and payment of retirement benefits they say are outstanding.

With civil society groups demanding the removal of the Lagos Commissioner of Police, prosecution of officers allegedly involved and an independent inquiry into the handling of protests, pressure is mounting on authorities to provide a clear account of Monday’s events.

The controversy also renews wider concerns over police conduct, peaceful protest and civil liberties in Lagos, particularly the balance between maintaining public order and protecting citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

Lagos police deny tear-gassing pensioners as #EndBadGovernance demands CP’s sack