Lagos, Nigeria — Police officers on Monday, August 31, 2026, fired tear gas at a group of elderly pensioners who staged a protest at Lagos House (the Lagos State Government Secretariat) in Alausa, Ikeja, dispersing some of the demonstrators and heightening tension at the scene.
The retirees, drawn from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), had gathered at the government premises to demand the implementation of approved pension increases, wage awards, and the payment of outstanding arrears and other benefits they said were owed to them by the Lagos State Government.
According to reports, the pensioners began their march from the Shoprite area and proceeded toward the Lagos State Governor’s Office. The demonstration was part of a long-threatened action after the state government failed to meet an August 31 deadline the union had set for the settlement of their entitlements.
The peaceful protest was disrupted when police officers reportedly deployed tear gas, forcing some of the elderly demonstrators to scatter. The use of force drew strong condemnation from the pensioners, who expressed deep dissatisfaction at being tear-gassed while seeking what they described as their lawful entitlements after decades of service.
In response, the retirees vowed to abandon any limited demonstration and occupy the Alausa Government House indefinitely until their demands are met. Chairman of the National Union of Pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), Lagos State Council, Michael Omisande, said the union had formally warned Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to credit pensioners’ accounts with the outstanding payments.
“We warned the government, but they tear-gassed us. The protest is now indefinite until our demands are met,” Omisande stated. He added that after many years of service to the state, it was unfair for pensioners to endure hardship before receiving their entitlements”.
One protester lamented that while the government had paid some retirees on lower grade levels, those who retired at higher levels were still waiting for adjusted arrears. The pensioners accused the Sanwo-Olu administration of delaying payments despite previous assurances and rising living costs that have left many elderly retirees struggling to afford medication and basic needs.
The demonstration follows weeks of agitation. The pensioners had earlier issued a 19-day ultimatum and staged warning protests across parts of Lagos, threatening a larger “mother of all protests” if the government failed to act by August 31. They had also notified the Lagos State House of Assembly and the state Commissioner of Police of their planned action.
As of Monday afternoon, the pensioners remained determined to press their case at the seat of government, insisting that their demands centre solely on the implementation of pension increases, clearance of arrears, and other benefits due after years of public service.
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