Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) coalition is demanding an independent investigation into the Lagos State Police Command following the alleged tear-gassing of elderly pensioners demanding their unpaid entitlements.
Blasting the police action as a “cruel and disgraceful” misuse of power, the advocacy groups also called on the state government to immediately release all undisputed pension funds and provide a transparent timeline to clear outstanding arrears.
The pensioners, including members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, had 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.
The coalition alleged that police officers disrupted the peaceful demonstration by firing tear gas at the protesters, forcing the elderly demonstrators to flee.
It subsequently condemned a reported denial by the State Police spokesman, SP Abimbola Adebisi, that the pensioners were tear-gassed in a statement obtained by PerSecondNews on Thursday.
The CSOs described the denial as troubling in view of eyewitness accounts, including that of a pensioners’ leader, Mr Latif Salau, Deputy Chairman of the Nigerian Pensioners Practitioners of Lagos State.
According to the coalition, Salau told the media that a senior police officer later apologised to the pensioners and offered them sachet water and biscuits.
“If the teargassing did not occur, as the police claim, why would an officer apologise to the protesters afterwards?”
It also referred to reports that Mr Tayo Ayinde, Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, apologised for the incident while absolving the state government of responsibility for the alleged tear-gassing.
The CSOs questioned whether the police command had considered such publicly available reports before issuing its denial.
The coalition called on the Police Service Commission to investigate the conduct of the police spokesperson, arguing that any officer found to have deliberately misrepresented or concealed facts about an alleged assault on citizens should not continue in the position.
It also urged the Inspector-General of Police to establish an internal mechanism to review the operations of the Lagos State Police Command, particularly the conduct and supervision of officers involved in public-order operations.
The CSOs demanded the retraining of Lagos police officers on the rights of peaceful protesters, proportionality, de-escalation and the appropriate use of force.
They further called for disciplinary action against officers found to have authorised or used unlawful force against peaceful protesters.
The coalition said the alleged incident was particularly disturbing because the protesters were elderly citizens seeking payment of benefits they had earned after decades of service.
It questioned why force would have been necessary against the pensioners.
“What threat did these pensioners pose? Were they armed? Were they violent?”
The CSOs also alleged that the incident reflected a wider pattern of repression of peaceful protests in Lagos.
They cited the January 28, 2026 protest by residents against alleged illegal demolitions and forced evictions, during which they said protesters were subjected to a police crackdown involving tear gas.
The coalition also referred to the #EndSARS protests of 2020 and the #EndBadGovernance protests of 2024, arguing that repeated confrontations between security forces and citizens demonstrated that lessons from previous crises had not been sufficiently learnt.
“Nigerians must be able to speak out against government failures without fear of police violence,” the statement said.
The coalition also called on the media to resist intimidation and undue influence and to stand by reports concerning the alleged incident.
On the pension dispute, the CSOs said the Lagos State Government should stop treating pension payments as an act of generosity.
“These are earned entitlements by men and women who gave Lagos their working years,” they said.
Under the Defined Benefit Scheme, the pensioners are demanding 57 months of arrears arising from the 2019 consequential adjustment, 12 months of arrears from the 20 and 28 per cent increases approved in 2024, and the N32,000 wage award effective from January 2024.
Those under the Contributory Pension Scheme are seeking unpaid increases dating back to 2010, subsequent adjustments and the N32,000 wage award.
The coalition questioned why the dispute had persisted despite increased federal allocations to Lagos State.
It cited published analysis showing that Lagos received N365.78 billion in Federal Account Allocation Committee disbursements in the first half of 2026, representing a 54.39 per cent increase from the N236.92 billion received during the corresponding period in 2025.
The CSOs challenged the Sanwo-Olu administration to explain how the additional funds were being spent and why pension obligations remained outstanding.
They also expressed concern over reports from pensioners’ representatives that some retirees had died while awaiting payment.
The coalition urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to meet directly with the pensioners, condemn the alleged police assault, pay undisputed arrears immediately and publish a time-bound and enforceable plan for clearing all outstanding claims.
It also called on the National Pension Commission and other relevant authorities to engage the Lagos State Government and pensioner representatives towards resolving the dispute.
The CSOs further cited Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as Section 210, which provides constitutional protection for pension rights.
“Pensioners have every right to peacefully demand that government fulfil its obligations.They must not be intimidated, humiliated or silenced for doing so.”
The group said the government must now ensure accountability and justice while treating elderly citizens with the dignity they had earned through years of service.
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