The Lagos State Police Command has debunked reports that officers fired tear gas at protesting pensioners at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, August 31, 2026.

The command described the allegation as “false and misleading” and said a viral photo circulating online showing the incident was generated using artificial intelligence.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, the police said “not a single canister of tear gas was fired” throughout the protest.

According to the statement titled ‘NUP protest: No tear gas fired, circulating image is AI-generated’, about 500 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Lagos State Council, led by Chairman Comrade Michael Omishade and NLC Chairperson Comrade Agnes Funmi Sesse, staged a peaceful protest at the Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, at about 8:30am.

Police said operatives from RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, and divisional headquarters were deployed to maintain law and order. The operation was coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations.

The protesters were later addressed by the Chief of Staff to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr. Tayo Akinmade Ayinde. The NUP executives then proceeded to an indoor meeting at the Governor’s Conference Hall which lasted about 3 hours.

The protesters dispersed peacefully at about 4:30pm with no adverse incident recorded.

The pensioners had gathered to demand outstanding pension adjustments and wage awards. The protest came amid a prolonged dispute between retired Lagos public servants and the state government.

A report by The PUNCH had claimed tear gas disrupted the protest, prompting human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, to demand the arrest of the officers involved.

The police said the image allegedly showing tear gas being used on retirees was AI-generated and did not reflect what happened.

The pensioners are expected to meet Governor Sanwo-Olu later this week to present their demands directly.

Source: Punch News, Lagos State Police Command.