NUP demands probe into tear-gassing of Lagos pensioners

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called for an investigation into the alleged use of tear gas and assault by police officers against pensioners who protested at the Lagos State Government premises in Ikeja.

The union said the incident, which occurred during a demonstration over unpaid pension increases, wage awards and other outstanding benefits, was unacceptable and demanded that those responsible be identified and held accountable.

In a statement on Sunday signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Godwin Amadin, the NUP urged the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to establish who authorised the police response.

The pensioners, comprising members of the NUP and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), had gathered at Lagos House to demand the implementation of pension increases and payment of accumulated arrears.

The protest reportedly became tense after police officers deployed tear gas to disperse the retirees from the premises. The police high command subsequently defended the action.

But the NUP condemned the response, arguing that the pensioners were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest.

The union questioned why senior citizens who spent their working years contributing to the Lagos State public service would be subjected to what it described as “police brutality and assault” while demanding their lawful entitlements.

“Who actually gave such order to dehumanize pensioners, who caused no breach of peace and destroyed no life and property in the course of the peaceful protest?” the union asked.

The NUP said the incident was particularly disturbing because many pensioners were already facing financial hardship as a result of delayed payments and what it described as “starvation, penury” and deprivation.

It also compared the treatment of the Lagos pensioners with that of retired police officers who recently protested at the National Pension Commission (PenCom) over alleged unpaid post-service benefits.

“Why were those ex-police officers not tear gassed?” the union asked, describing the question as central to its demand for justice.

The pensioners’ body therefore called for a “deep investigation” into the incident and urged the police authorities to make public the findings and sanction any officer found culpable.

The NUP also warned public institutions to remember that current workers would eventually become pensioners.

“A worker today, is a pensioner, tomorrow,” the union said, urging authorities to treat retirees with dignity and respect.

Beyond the alleged police action, the union renewed its appeal to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other state governors with outstanding pension liabilities to settle unpaid pensions and gratuities.

It said timely payment of retirees’ entitlements would reduce the need for pensioners to repeatedly take to the streets to demand benefits owed to them and prevent what it described as avoidable “embarrassment, molestation, intimidation and unnecessary harassment.”