A coalition of nine Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos has condemned the alleged tear-gassing of pensioners protesting unpaid entitlements at the Lagos State House of Assembly and demanded an independent investigation into the incident.
The groups also accused the Lagos State Police Command of attempting to cover up the alleged assault following its denial that the elderly protesters were tear-gassed.
The coalition comprises Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State, Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Lagos State, Joint Action Front (JAF), Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), and Centre for Human & Socio-economic Rights (CHSR).
The organisations described the reported action against the pensioners as “cruel, unacceptable, disgraceful, and an indefensible abuse of state power.”
The pensioners, including members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), gathered at the Lagos State House of Assembly on August 31, 2026, following the expiration of a 19-day ultimatum over unpaid pension increases, wage awards and arrears.
In a joint statement, the CSOs said, “We, the coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos, strongly condemn the reported teargassing of peaceful pensioners demanding their unpaid entitlements and the Lagos State Police Command’s subsequent denial.”
“We hereby demand an independent investigation into the assault and alleged attempts to conceal what happened.”
The groups said the pensioners were citizens who had spent decades working and contributing to society and should not have been subjected to force while demanding their lawful entitlements.
“Even more disturbing is the reported denial by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, SP Abimbola Adebisi, that the pensioners were teargassed,” the statement said.
The CSOs argued that eyewitness accounts, including that of a pensioners’ leader, pointed to the use of tear gas and that the appropriate response should have been an apology and transparent investigation.
“If the Police Command cannot acknowledge misconduct involving its own officers, how can ordinary citizens trust it to protect them?” they asked.
The organisations also called on the Police Service Commission to examine the conduct of the police spokesperson, saying any deliberate misrepresentation or concealment of facts should attract appropriate action.
They questioned why force was allegedly used against elderly protesters and asked, “What threat did these pensioners pose? Were they armed? Were they violent?”
The groups said several eyewitnesses, including Deputy Chairman of the Nigerian Pensioners Practitioners of Lagos State, Latif Salau, had narrated their experiences.
According to Salau, a senior police officer later apologised following the incident and provided the pensioners with sachet water and biscuits.
The CSOs asked, “If the teargassing did not occur, as the police claim, why would an officer apologise to the protesters afterwards?”
They also cited reports that the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Tayo Ayinde, apologised for the incident and absolved the state government of responsibility.
The groups expressed concern over what they described as repeated repression of peaceful protests in Lagos.
They recalled the January 28, 2026 protest by residents against alleged illegal demolitions and forced evictions, which they said was met with a police crackdown.
The organisations called on the Inspector-General of Police to establish an internal mechanism to review the operations of the Lagos State Police Command.
They also demanded retraining of officers on the rights of peaceful protesters, proportionality, de-escalation and the appropriate use of force.
The CSOs further called for disciplinary action against officers found to have authorised or used unlawful force against peaceful protesters.
They urged the media to resist intimidation and stand by credible reports of the incident.
On the pension dispute, the groups said retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme were demanding 57 months of arrears from the 2019 consequential adjustment, 12 months of arrears from the 20 and 28 per cent increases approved in 2024, as well as the N32,000 wage award effective from January 2024.
Under the Contributory Pension Scheme, they said retirees were demanding unpaid increases dating back to 2010, subsequent adjustments and the N32,000 wage award.
The organisations also questioned why pension obligations remained unmet despite increased federal allocations to Lagos State.
They called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to meet directly with the pensioners, condemn any police assault, pay undisputed arrears and publish a clear timetable for settling outstanding claims.
“We remind the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force that Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, while Section 210 provides constitutional protection for pension rights,” the groups said.
“They must not be intimidated, humiliated or silenced for doing so. This has become one too many. We demand accountability, justice, and above all, that Nigeria’s elderly citizens be treated with the dignity they have earned.”
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