Photo: CHSR President, Omotehinse and others at the briefing
By Mandy Park
The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has condemned the alleged use of tear gas and excessive force against pensioners who protested over outstanding pension entitlements at the Lagos State Government Secretariat and House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja.
The organisation also demanded an immediate investigation into the incident and the arrest and prosecution of any police officers found to have been involved in the alleged action.
The call was contained in a statement issued by the President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, at a press conference on Tuesday, following the August 31 protest by members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Council.
Reports from the scene on Monday said police officers deployed to the area fired tear gas as the retirees protested over unpaid pension increases, wage awards, arrears and other benefits.
However, the Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday denied firing tear gas at the pensioners, describing reports and a circulating photograph purportedly showing the incident as false, while claiming that the image was AI-generated.
According to the command, about 500 pensioners gathered at the Lagos State Governor’s Office at about 8:30am and later met with the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Tayo Akinmade Ayinde.
The police said the protesters eventually dispersed peacefully at about 4:30pm.
CHSR, however, challenged the police to investigate the matter rather than dismiss the reports as misinformation.
Omotehinse said the images, videos and accounts emerging from the protest were disturbing, stressing that the protesters were elderly Nigerians who had devoted several productive years to the service of Lagos State.
He said, “Pension is not a favour, charity or privilege. It is an entitlement earned through years of dedicated public service.”
The group argued that pensioners should be allowed to demand their legitimate entitlements without intimidation, harassment or unnecessary use of force.
CHSR also criticised the alleged police response to the protesters, saying that dialogue and engagement, rather than force, should be employed in addressing legitimate grievances.
The organisation further questioned the explanation offered by the Lagos police concerning the alleged AI-generated photograph.
“Our attention has been drawn to a damage control done by the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, where he tried to distort the fact by calling the video footages and photographs emanating from the pensioners’ protest AI-generated,” Omotehinse said.
He challenged the police commissioner to investigate the incident and, if the reports were indeed false, ensure that those responsible for allegedly fabricating and circulating the materials were brought to book.
CHSR also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to order an investigation into the incident and prosecute any officers found culpable.
The rights group said the dispute was particularly concerning because the protesters were elderly citizens who had spent decades working for the state.
It demanded that the Lagos State Government immediately commence payment of all verified outstanding pensions, gratuities and allowances owed to retirees.
It also called for the publication of a clear and time-bound schedule for the settlement of outstanding pensioners’ entitlements.
According to the statement, CHSR demanded that:
“The Lagos State Government should immediately commence the payment of all verified outstanding pensions, gratuities and allowances owed to retirees.
“The Lagos State Government should publish a clear, transparent and time-bound schedule for the settlement of all outstanding pensioners’ entitlements.
“The government should engage directly and constructively with representatives of the pensioners to resolve their grievances without intimidation, harassment or victimisation.
“The Lagos State Government should investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported tear-gassing of the elderly protesters and make the outcome public. If the action was carried out by the Police or another security agency without the direct involvement of the state government, the appropriate authorities must be held accountable.
“The welfare, dignity and legitimate interests of pensioners must be treated as an urgent matter of public responsibility.
“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government must ensure that the Police and other security agencies respect the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and expression.
“The Lagos State Police Command and other security agencies should urgently train and retrain their personnel on the professional management of peaceful protests, with emphasis on restraint, dialogue and respect for human dignity.
“Security personnel must always remember that their primary responsibility is to protect the lives, dignity and fundamental rights of the people.
“We demand that the IGP Tunji Disu should immediately order the arrest and prosecute all the police officers who tear gassed, violently attacked and disrupted a peaceful protest by pensioners at the Lagos State house of Assembly on Monday 31st day of August 2026.
“The human rights community, Nigeria Labour Congress, professional bodies, organised labour and all well-meaning Nigerians should stand in solidarity with these pensioners and demand justice for them.
“Lagos State must not become a place where elderly citizens and peaceful protesters are subjected to tear gas, intimidation or humiliation simply for demanding their legitimate rights.
Meanwhile, the controversy has attracted calls from other civil society groups for an independent investigation, following the conflicting accounts over whether tear gas was used during the protest.
CHSR called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, organised labour, professional bodies, the human rights community and other Nigerians to stand in solidarity with the pensioners.
The organisation said Lagos State must not become a place where elderly citizens are subjected to humiliation or force for demanding what is legitimately owed to them.
It pledged to continue monitoring the matter and advocating for the rights and welfare of the affected pensioners.
“The most appropriate response to the grievances of pensioners is not force but dialogue, accountability and immediate action,” CHSR submitted.
