Police Use Tear Gas on Pensioners Protesting Unpaid Benefits in Lagos

Police officers in Lagos State on Monday fired tear gas at pensioners gathered at the Lagos House in Ikeja. They were protesting unpaid pension increases, wage awards, and other outstanding benefits.

The retirees, from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), went to the government premises. They wanted the Lagos State Government to implement the increases and pay the arrears they claimed had piled up.

Things got tense when police used tear gas, forcing some protesters to leave the area. This happened on the day the retirees had set as a deadline for the government to respond to their complaints.

The pensioners warned they would hold a larger protest on 31 August if the government did not act. They are particularly focused on the pension increase and wage awards.

Their demand for an increase also involves policy issues. The National Pension Commission (PenCom) had previously asked the Lagos Government to provide periodic pension increases for retirees under the CPS, similar to what those under the Defined Benefit Scheme receive.

This disagreement has continued even though the state assured retirees about pension payments. The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) had reported earlier that the government paid N168 billion to around 48,000 pensioners.

Despite this, retirees are still complaining about unpaid increases and other benefits. They say delays have caused financial difficulties, especially as living costs rise.

Monday’s protest at Lagos House has added more tension to the issue. The pensioners are questioning why police used tear gas to break up their gathering.

As of now, the Lagos State Government and the police have not released any statement regarding the incident.