After Initial Denial, Police Backtrack, Defend Use of Tear Gas on Lagos Pensioners
. CSO decries violence, calls for protection of right to peaceful assembly Linus Aleke in Abuja The Nigeria Police Force has defended the use of tear gas on pensioners in Lagos
The Nigeria Police Force has defended its use of tear gas on pensioners in Lagos State during a peaceful protest, despite initial denials. The police command stated that the force can use proportionate force to quell any riotous or disorderly gathering. However, the defense came 12 hours after the command denied using tear gas, insisting the images circulating online were AI-generated.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ikeja, SP Abimbola Adebisi, cautioned the public against creating, sharing, or amplifying unverified information that could mislead the public or incite unnecessary tension. Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution does not give citizens the right to behave disorderly when making representations or expressing their grievances.
Global Rights, a civil society organization, strongly condemned the use of tear gas against pensioners, calling it a violation of their right to peaceful assembly and an essential component of a democratic society. The organization expressed deep concern over the indiscriminate use of force and its implications for public trust in government and law enforcement.
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