The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed reports that officers used tear gas to disperse pensioners during a protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa on Monday.
The Punch reported that the command also said a photograph circulating on social media and purportedly showing security operatives tear-gassing the elderly protesters was generated using artificial intelligence.
The denial followed reports that pensioners protesting over unpaid pension adjustments, wage awards and other entitlements were allegedly subjected to tear gas by the police.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), had consequently called for the arrest and prosecution of the officers allegedly responsible for the incident.
However, the police, in a statement issued on Tuesday, described the allegation as “false and misleading,” insisting that “not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest.”
According to the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Lagos State Council, gathered at the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja, at about 8:30am on Monday.
The protesters, led by their Chairman, Michael Omishade, and NLC Chairperson, Agnes Funmi Sesse, were demanding the payment of outstanding pension adjustments and wage awards.
The police said personnel from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force and various divisional headquarters were deployed to the area to maintain order and protect the protesters and other members of the public.
The security operation, according to the command, was coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations.
The protesters were subsequently addressed by the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, after which the NUP executives went into a meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall.
The meeting reportedly lasted about three hours, while the protesters later left the area peacefully at approximately 4:30pm.
The police said the environment remained calm throughout the exercise and that no adverse incident was recorded.
The command further stated that the image being circulated online and “purportedly depicting the alleged tear-gassing of the retirees” is AI-generated and does not reflect events at the protest venue.
It urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it, warning that the circulation of unverified claims could “misleading the public, inciting unnecessary tension, or undermining public confidence.”
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
The development comes amid an ongoing dispute between retired Lagos public servants and the state government over pension increases, consequential adjustments and wage awards which the retirees say are yet to be paid.
The pensioners are expected to meet with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu later this week to present their demands and seek a resolution to the outstanding issues.
