The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned the reported use of tear gas to disperse pensioners who protested over unpaid pension adjustments, wage awards and other outstanding benefits in Lagos.
The pensioners gathered at the Lagos State Government Secretariat and the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa on Monday to demand the implementation of pension increases and the payment of arrears they say have accumulated over several years. Police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Reacting to the incident, the CDHR described the reported treatment of the elderly protesters as unacceptable and called on the Lagos State Government to engage directly with the pensioners and address their grievances.
The organisation said retired public servants should be able to demand their legitimate entitlements without intimidation and urged the government to settle all verified outstanding pensions, gratuities and allowances.
The CDHR also called for a clear and time-bound payment plan that would enable affected pensioners to know when their outstanding benefits would be paid. It further requested an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported use of tear gas during the protest.
The rights group appealed to the police and other security agencies to exercise restraint when managing peaceful demonstrations, particularly those involving elderly citizens.
The pensioners' protest followed an August 31 deadline they had given the Lagos State Government to address their demands. Their grievances include outstanding pension adjustments, wage awards and other benefits.
According to the Lagos State Retirees Association, some pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme are seeking payment of 57 months of arrears relating to the 2019 consequential adjustment, as well as other outstanding increases and wage awards.
The Lagos State Government has maintained that it has made substantial payments to retirees. It said LASPEC had paid ₦168.2 billion to more than 48,000 retirees since 2007 and had implemented several measures to improve pensioners' welfare.
The National Pension Commission has also opened discussions with the Lagos State Government and LASPEC over concerns surrounding delayed pension increases and wage awards for retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The CDHR urged all parties to return to dialogue and find a lasting solution to the dispute, stressing that pensioners who spent years in public service deserve dignity and timely access to their retirement benefits.
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