Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Police Command has firmly denied reports that its officers used tear gas to disperse pensioners protesting at the Lagos State Government House in Alausa on Monday, August 31, 2026, while also dismissing a viral photograph of the incident as AI-generated. In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Command's Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said no tear gas was fired during the protest, which involved about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Council. According to the police, the retirees, led by NUP Chairman Comrade Michael Omishade and NLC Chairperson Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse, staged a peaceful protest at the Governor's Office from about 8:30 a.m. on Monday. The Command said personnel from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, and Eko Strike Force were deployed to maintain order, with the operation coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations. Police added that the protesters were addressed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, after which NUP executives proceeded to an indoor meeting at the Governor's Conference Hall for about three hours. The protesters were said to have dispersed peacefully at approximately 4:30 p.m., with no adverse incident recorded.
However, the Command expressed concern over a photograph circulating on social media that purportedly showed security personnel tear-gassing the pensioners. The police insisted the image was "AI-generated" and did not represent what happened at the protest venue. Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, urged the public to refrain from creating, sharing, or amplifying unverified information, reiterating the Command's commitment to protecting the right to peaceful assembly.
Despite the police denial, multiple news outlets reported that tear gas was indeed fired at the pensioners. Reports indicated that the protest was disrupted after police officers deployed tear gas, forcing the retirees to flee the premises. The demonstration was part of a long-running dispute over unpaid pension increases, consequential adjustments, and wage awards. The Nigeria Union of Pensioners had previously issued Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu an ultimatum to pay their long-awaited pension enhancement and wage award by August 31, threatening the "mother of all protests".
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, condemned the police action and called for the arrest and prosecution of the officers involved. In a statement, Falana argued that the retirees were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest, citing the 2008 Court of Appeal judgment in Inspector General of Police v All Nigerian People Party, which affirmed the right of Nigerians to organise rallies without obtaining a police permit. He also cited Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Force Establishment Act 2020, which requires the police to provide security for peaceful gatherings rather than violently disperse them. Falana described the police action as "a provocative breach" of the Act and called on the Inspector-General of Police to prosecute the officers who inflicted intentional physical bodily injury on the protesters.
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme, Michael Omisande, said several hundred retirees participated in the protest. He said the protest achieved its immediate objective despite the disruption, adding that representatives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police later met with the pensioners and apologised for the disorder. Omisande also said Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was away from Lagos at the time, sent his Chief of Staff to meet the protesters. The Chief of Staff held discussions with the pensioners and asked them to return to Alausa on Thursday for a meeting with the governor to address their demands.
The protest has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society groups, with the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights condemning the reported use of tear gas and force against pensioners. The controversy surrounding the viral photograph has also raised questions about the use of AI-generated content to mislead the public, with the police warning against the circulation of unverified information. As the dispute continues, the planned meeting between the pensioners and Governor Sanwo-Olu on Thursday is expected to provide an opportunity to resolve the outstanding issues.
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