Police Refute Tear-Gassing Pensioners in Lagos, Say Viral Image AI-generated

The Lagos State Police Command has denied reports that pensioners were tear-gassed during their protest in Alausa, Ikeja, on August 31, 2026, insisting that a widely circulated photograph was AI-generated and misleading.

In a statement issued Tuesday, September 1, the Command clarified that about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) staged a peaceful demonstration at the Lagos State Governor’s Office.

The protest was led by NUP Chairman Comrade Michael Omishade and NLC Chairperson Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse.

Police said officers from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, and divisional headquarters were deployed to maintain order, under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations.

The protesters were addressed by the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, before NUP executives held a three-hour meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall.

The demonstration ended peacefully around 4:30 pm, with no incidents recorded.The Command expressed concern over the viral image allegedly showing retirees being tear-gassed, stressing:

“The photograph in circulation is AI-generated and does not represent what transpired at the protest venue. Not a single canister of tear gas was fired.”

Commissioner of Police CP Tijani Fatai reaffirmed the right of citizens to peaceful assembly and urged the public to rely on verified information from credible sources, warning against the spread of manipulated images and misinformation that could erode trust in public institutions.

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