CHSR Asks Lagos CP Fatai To Probe Alleged Teargassing Of Pensioners, Prosecute Policemen | Sahara Reporters

CHSR said the use of tear gas and other forms of force against elderly pensioners demanding their outstanding entitlements was unacceptable and amounted to an affront to human dignity.

The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has challenged the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, to investigate the alleged teargassing of pensioners at the Lagos State House of Assembly and prosecute officers responsible if the footage of the incident is genuine.

The rights group made the demand on Wednesday during a press conference held in Lagos.

In a text of the press conference signed by Comrade Alex Omotehinse, President of CHSR, the centre accused the police commissioner of attempting to dismiss videos and photographs from the protest as artificially generated.

CHSR said the use of tear gas and other forms of force against elderly pensioners demanding their outstanding entitlements was unacceptable and amounted to an affront to human dignity.

“For the record, our attention has been drawn to a damage control done by the Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, where he tried to distort the fact by calling the video footages and photo emanated from the pensioners protest as an AI-generated footages,” the centre said.

The centre, however, challenged the commissioner to investigate the matter and establish whether the footage was genuine.

“We hereby challenge the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, to investigate the incident and if truly the news were fake then the perpetrators be brought to book,” CHSR said.

The centre said the matter should not be dismissed as an attempt at damage control, stressing that those involved in the protest were elderly citizens who had spent most of their productive years serving Lagos State.

“Those involved are aged men and women who have dedicated almost 85% of their lives to serve this state,” it said.

According to CHSR, the pensioners were exercising their legitimate rights by gathering peacefully at the gate of the Lagos State House of Assembly to demand the payment of pensions, gratuities and other outstanding benefits.

It said the placards carried by the protesters reflected their frustration over unpaid entitlements, hardship and health challenges confronting retirees.

“Pension is not a favour, charity or privilege. It is an entitlement earned through years of dedicated public service,” the centre said.

CHSR argued that pensioners should be able to demand their lawful entitlements without intimidation, harassment or unnecessary use of force.

The organisation urged the Lagos State government to immediately commence payment of all verified outstanding pensions, gratuities and allowances owed retirees.

It also demanded that the government publish a transparent and time-bound schedule for settling outstanding pensioners’ entitlements and engage directly with their representatives to resolve the grievances.

The rights group further called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged teargassing of the protesters and demanded that the outcome be made public.

“If the action was carried out by the Police or another security agency without the direct involvement of the state government, the appropriate authorities must be held accountable,” it said.

CHSR also called on the Nigerian government to ensure that the police and other security agencies respect citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and expression.

It urged the Lagos State Police Command to train and retrain its personnel on the professional management of peaceful protests, with emphasis on restraint, dialogue and respect for human dignity.

The organisation specifically called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to order the arrest and prosecution of officers allegedly involved in tear-gassing, attacking and disrupting the pensioners’ protest.

“We demand that the IGP Tunji Disu should immediately order the arrest and prosecute all the police officers who tear gassed, violently attacked and disrupted a peaceful protest by pensioners at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday 31st day of August 2026,” it said.

The group also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, human rights organisations, professional bodies, organised labour and other Nigerians to support the pensioners and demand justice.

CHSR warned that elderly citizens should not be subjected to tear gas, intimidation or humiliation for demanding their legitimate rights.

“Government has a responsibility to protect the dignity and welfare of its senior citizens. Where legitimate grievances exist, the appropriate response should be dialogue, engagement and prompt resolution, not force,” the organisation said.

It urged the Lagos State government to treat the pensioners’ grievances as an urgent matter, saying those who spent their productive years serving the state should not be abandoned in retirement.

CHSR said it would continue to monitor the situation and advocate for the welfare of the affected pensioners while demanding accountability and resolution of their grievances.