‎The Lagos State Police Command has released a statement, debunking allegations of the Force firing tear gas at members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Lagos State Council, during their peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, 31st August.‎‎
The rumours which were making rounds on social media were clarified by the Command to be false and misleading as “not a single canister of tear gas was fired throughout the duration of the protest”.‎‎
According to the report, at around 08:30 in the morning of the protest, approximately five hundred members of the NUP, Lagos State Council, led by their Chairman, Comrade Michael Omishade, and the NLC Chairperson, Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse, staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos State Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja. ‎‎The statement also claimed that the presence of security personnel were only present to ensure the safety of the protesters and other members of the public.‎‎
“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,” it stated. ‎‎
It revealed that the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, addressed the protester, followed by an indoor meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall, with the executives of the NUP. The meeting which was estimated to have lasted three hours, was followed by the protesters calmly dispersing at about 04:30 pm, with no record of any form of adversity.
‎‎The Command expressed concern is particularly concerned about the AI-generated photograph portraying the alleged tear-gassing of the retirees as it does not represent the happenings at the incident. ‎‎Members of the public were urged to exercise caution and refrain from spreading misinformation and inciting tension.‎‎
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, psc, mnips, then reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and expression, while urging members of the public to rely on information from “credible and authorised sources” as well as to “desist from creating or circulating misinformation, manipulated images, and unverified posts.”‎‎