Lagos Pensioners Protest Unpaid Arrears as Police Fire Teargas

Lagos pensioners on Monday stormed Lagos House in Ikeja to demand the payment of outstanding pension arrears, approved pension increases and wage awards owed to them by the state government.

The protesters, drawn from the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), arrived at the government premises to press their demands and seek an immediate resolution to the issues affecting their welfare.

The protest, however, turned tense after police officers reportedly fired tear gas at the retirees, forcing some of the pensioners to flee the area.

The development came on the exact date the pensioners had earlier set as a deadline for the Lagos State Government to address the delayed implementation of their pension enhancement and wage award.

The retirees had warned that they would take to the streets if the government failed to credit their accounts with the outstanding benefits.

Their demands include the implementation of approved pension increases, payment of wage awards, settlement of accumulated arrears and other benefits they said were due to them.

The pensioners maintained that they had waited for months for the government to act on the matter despite previous engagements with relevant officials.

Monday’s demonstration was therefore intended to put pressure on the government to resolve the issue and provide a clear timeline for payment.

The use of tear gas disrupted the protest and created tension around the Lagos House premises as some of the elderly protesters dispersed.

The pensioners expressed dissatisfaction with the police action, insisting that they had gathered to demand their legitimate entitlements and not to cause violence.

The confrontation came after weeks of growing tension between the Lagos State Government and retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Earlier in August, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS), Lagos State Council, had issued a 19-day ultimatum to the government over the delayed pension enhancement and wage award.

The union had fixed August 31 for the protest if its demands were not met.

Chairman of the NUPCPS Lagos State Council, Michael Omisande, had said the union submitted a template to the state government in January 2026 detailing its proposal for the implementation of the pension enhancement.

He said the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) subsequently informed the pensioners that approval had been granted for an actuary to be engaged to facilitate the process.

Despite that development, Omisande said the actual implementation had not commenced.

“We have communicated a 19-day ultimatum to Mr. Governor to credit the accounts of pensioners on the pension increases/wage award, or face protest action tentatively fixed for August 31, 2026,” he said.

The union also informed the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Commissioner of Police about the planned protest.

The move was intended to ensure that adequate security arrangements were made for the retirees who would participate in the demonstration.

At a meeting between the pensioners and government officials, LASPEC Director-General Babalola Obilana reportedly said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had summoned him and issued a directive on the matter.

However, the pensioners said they were not given a definite date for the commencement of payment.

The lack of a specific payment date became one of the major concerns as the August 31 deadline approached.

The retirees subsequently proceeded with their planned demonstration on Monday.

The pensioners have repeatedly raised concerns over the impact of delayed benefits on their daily lives.

Many retirees depend largely on their monthly pension for food, medical needs and other basic expenses after leaving active service.

The protesters therefore called on the Lagos State Government to urgently resolve the outstanding issues rather than allow the matter to linger.

They also demanded the immediate implementation of the pension increase and wage award, alongside the payment of arrears that have accumulated.

The pensioners maintained that their action was focused on securing the benefits due to them after years of service to the state.

The Lagos State Government had yet to publicly announce a definite payment date for the outstanding pension enhancement and wage award as of the time of filing this report.