Police deny teargassing Lagos pensioners, say viral image AI-generated

The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday denied firing tear gas at retired civil servants who protested at the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja.

The Command clarified that a viral image circulating on social media—purportedly showing senior citizens engulfed in tear gas—is completely AI-generated.

It maintained that the image does not represent what actually transpired and urged the public to stop spreading unverified information.

Earlier reports had indicated that tear gas disrupted the pensioners’ protest in Alausa, Lagos, on Monday, prompting human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) to demand the arrest and prosecution of the officers involved.

The pensioners had gathered at the Lagos State Government Secretariat and the House of Assembly complex to press for outstanding pension adjustments and wage awards before the police intervention dispersed the protest.

The development came amid a prolonged dispute between retired Lagos public servants and the state government over pension increases, consequential adjustments and wage awards which the retirees say remain unpaid.

The pensioners are, however, expected to meet Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu later in the week, after the protest reportedly attracted the attention of the Governor’s Office.

The proposed meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for the retirees to present their demands directly to the governor and seek a resolution to the outstanding issues.

However, in a release on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, while speaking at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja, the state capital, noted that the command ensured the maintenance of law and order during the protest, as it drew operatives from various divisions.

She labelled the allegation as “false and misleading,” adding that “not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest.”

The statement titled ‘NUP protest: No tear gas fired, circulating image is AI-generated,’ read, “The Lagos State Police Command wishes to debunk reports circulating on social media alleging that members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Council, were tear-gassed during their peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, 31st August 2026.

“The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the allegation is false and misleading. Not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest.

“At about 08:30 am on Monday, 31st August 2026, approximately five hundred (500) members of the NUP, Lagos State Council, staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos State Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja.

“The protesters were led by their Chairman, Comrade Michael Omishade, and the NLC Chairperson, Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse.

“In line with the constitutional responsibility of the Command to maintain law and order, and ensure the safety of the protesters and other members of the public, operatives from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, as well as personnel from divisional headquarters within the axis, were deployed to the area.

“The security operation was coordinated and led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations.

“The protesters were addressed by the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, after which the executives of the NUP proceeded to an indoor meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall.

“The meeting lasted approximately three hours. The protesters subsequently dispersed peacefully at about 04:30 pm, with the area remaining calm and no adverse incident recorded.”

According to the statement, the circulating image “purportedly depicting the alleged tear-gassing of the retirees” is AI-generated and does not represent what transpired at the protest venue.

The command called on members of the public to desist from spreading unverified information, which it said is capable of “misleading the public, inciting unnecessary tension, or undermining public confidence.”

It stated that the State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, reiterates the Command’s commitment to protecting the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and expression.