Global Rights Condemns Violent Attack and Use of Tear Gas Against Pensioners, Calls for Protection of the Right to Peaceful Assembly

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

For Immediate Release

Global Rights Condemns Violent Attack and Use of Tear Gas Against Pensioners, Calls for Protection of the Right to Peaceful Assembly

Global Rights strongly condemns the violent disruption of a peaceful protest by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme. We are in particular appalled by the use of tear gas by officers of the Nigeria Police Force in enforcing the dispersal of these aged pensioners who had gathered at the Governor’s Office, Lagos House, in Ikeja on 31 August to protest the failure of the government to pay their outstanding pension arrears and its failure to implement approved pension increases, wage awards, and other benefits.

Peaceful protest is not a threat to public order. It is a legitimate form of civic participation and an essential component of a democratic society. Citizens must be able to demand accountability from the government without fear of intimidation, harassment, or unnecessary use of force.
The reported deployment of tear gas against elderly citizens who were exercising their right to peacefully assemble and express their grievances over issues directly affecting their welfare and dignity in retirement is deeply concerning.

This incident also reflects a broader norm of excessive use of force and disproportionate responses to protests in Nigeria. It will be recalled that during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024, Nigeria Mourns documented the consistent use of excessive force by security personnel, including the killing of at least 24 protesters and the detention of more than 1,200 people. Similarly, in October 2020, security forces responded to the #EndSARS protests with tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition, with multiple sources documenting killings and injuries among protesters. More recently, the Nigerian Police Force again deployed tear gas and other violent measures to disperse protests in Abuja in October 2025.

These recurring incidents should concern every Nigerian. The indiscriminate use of force cannot continue to be the government’s default response whenever citizens demand accountability or express their grievances through protests. When peaceful citizens are met with force instead of dialogue, the underlying grievances remain unresolved while public trust in government and law enforcement is further eroded.

Global Rights reminds the Nigerian Police Force that its responsibility is not simply to maintain order but to do so lawfully, proportionately, and with full respect for human rights. We also remind the police that their primary duty is not to defend politicians, but rather to protect the lives and property of citizens and to maintain public order. Where citizens choose to exercise their right to peaceful protest, the appropriate response should be neutrality and the protection of these vulnerable citizens.
We therefore call on the Nigerian Police Force to:
Investigate the circumstances surrounding the use of tear gas against the pensioners and establish whether the force used was necessary and proportionate.

Ensure accountability where officers are found to have acted unlawfully or disproportionately.
Strengthen training for officers on crowd management, human rights, and the policing of peaceful assemblies.

Ensure that the policing of protests prioritises de-escalation, dialogue and negotiation rather than force.
Uphold and protect citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly, expression and petition, including when citizens criticise government policies or demand accountability.

At the heart of this incident are pensioners who were peacefully demanding what they are legally and legitimately owed. The Lagos State Government must engage directly with the affected pensioners and provide a clear, transparent, and timely response to their demands for the outstanding payments.
The solution to a pension dispute is not a police operation. It is responsible governance. Global Rights, therefore, calls on the Lagos State Government to urgently address the pensioners’ grievances and communicate clearly with them about the status and timeline for payment.

Nigeria cannot build a democratic society where citizens are encouraged to participate in governance but resisted with force when they actually exercise that participation.
We must not normalise the use of force against peaceful protesters. It does not solve grievances; it deepens them. It does not strengthen democracy; it weakens public trust. And it does not create order; it risks creating resentment and further alienation.
Global Rights reaffirms its commitment to defending civic space, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the protection of human rights for all Nigerians.
Abiodun Baiyewu

Executive Director, Global Rights