A coalition of civil society organisations has condemned the alleged use of tear gas against pensioners protesting unpaid entitlements at the Lagos State House of Assembly, accusing the Lagos State Police Command of attempting to deny or conceal the incident.
The groups, in a joint statement, called for an independent investigation into the August 31 incident and urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to meet the pensioners, pay undisputed arrears and publish a time-bound plan for settling outstanding claims.
The coalition said members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, including retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, had gathered at the Assembly following the expiration of a 19-day ultimatum over unpaid pension increases, wage awards and arrears.
It alleged that the peaceful demonstration was disrupted when police officers fired tear gas at the protesters, forcing the elderly demonstrators to flee.
The groups described the alleged action as an abuse of state power, questioning why force was used against pensioners who, they said, were peacefully demanding benefits earned during their years of service.
The coalition also criticised the police response to the incident, particularly the denial by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, that the pensioners were tear-gassed.
It said eyewitness accounts contradicted the denial, citing the account of the Deputy Chairman of the Nigerian Pensioners Practitioners of Lagos State, Latif Salau, who reportedly said a senior police officer apologised after the incident and provided the protesters with sachet water and biscuits.
The CSOs said the reported apology raised questions about the police account and called on the Police Service Commission to examine the conduct of the police spokesperson.
They also questioned reports that Tayo Ayinde, Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, apologised for the incident while absolving the state government of responsibility.
The coalition linked the incident to what it described as a pattern of police repression of peaceful protests in Lagos, recalling an alleged crackdown on residents protesting demolitions and forced evictions at the Lagos State House of Assembly on January 28, 2026.
It also referenced the 2020 #EndSARS protests and the 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations, arguing that repeated allegations of excessive force against protesters indicated the need for stronger accountability within the police.
The groups called on the Inspector-General of Police to establish a mechanism to review the operations of the Lagos State Police Command and retrain 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.
On the pension dispute, the coalition urged the Lagos State Government to treat pension payments as earned entitlements rather than discretionary assistance.
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, as well as the N32,000 wage award effective from January 2024.
Those under the Contributory Pension Scheme are demanding unpaid increases dating back to 2010, subsequent adjustments and the N32,000 wage award, according to the coalition.
The groups also questioned why the pension obligations remained unsettled despite increased federal allocations to Lagos State, citing published figures showing that the state received N365.78 billion in FAAC disbursements in the first half of 2026, compared with N236.92 billion during the corresponding period of 2025.
They urged the Sanwo-Olu administration to explain how the additional revenue was being deployed and why outstanding pension obligations remained unresolved.
The coalition said pensioners’ representatives had reported deaths among members while awaiting payment, warning that further delays could worsen the difficulties faced by elderly retirees in meeting basic needs, including food, housing and healthcare.
It called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to meet the pensioners directly, condemn any police assault, settle undisputed arrears immediately and publish an enforceable schedule for resolving outstanding claims.
The groups also urged the National Pension Commission and other relevant institutions to intervene in the dispute and facilitate discussions between the state government and pensioner representatives.
They maintained that the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly protected by the Constitution entitled pensioners to demand accountability from government without intimidation or violence.