The Lagos State Police Command has denied using tear gas to disperse pensioners who protested at the Lagos State Government Secretariat and House of Assembly complex in Alausa on Monday, August 31, 2026.
The command also said a photograph circulating on social media and purportedly showing retirees being tear-gassed was generated using artificial intelligence and did not depict events at the protest venue.
This position followed reports that security operatives had disrupted the protest with tear gas, prompting human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) to demand the arrest and prosecution of officers allegedly involved.
In a statement on Tuesday titled ‘NUP Protest: No Tear Gas Fired, Circulating Image Is AI-Generated,’ the command described the reports as false and misleading.
It said about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Council, gathered at the Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja, at about 8:30 am to press their demands.
The NUP Lagos State Council Chairman, Comrade Michael Omishade, and the Nigeria Labour Congress chairperson, Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse led the protesters.
According to the command, personnel from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force and police divisions within the area were deployed to maintain law and order and protect the protesters and other members of the public.
It added that the security operation was coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations.
The protesters were addressed by the Lagos State Governor’s Chief of Staff, Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, after which NUP executives held a meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall.
The meeting lasted about three hours, and the pensioners dispersed at approximately 4:30pm, according to the police.
The command said the area remained calm and that no adverse incidents were recorded.
It urged members of the public to avoid circulating unverified information, warning that such reports could mislead the public, generate unnecessary tension and undermine confidence in security institutions.
The protest followed a prolonged dispute between retired Lagos public servants and the state government over outstanding pension adjustments, consequential adjustments and wage awards, which the retirees say remain unpaid.
The Governor’s Office is expected to meet with the pensioners later in the week, providing an opportunity for them to present their grievances directly to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and seek a resolution.
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
