The Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, CDWR, has condemned the alleged attack by the police on pensioners who peacefully protested delay in the payment of their entitlements among other things, at the Lagos State House Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, recently
The condemnation was made in a press statement by the group’s national chairman, Comrade Rufus Olusesan and the publicity secretary, Comrade Chinedu Bosah.
The CDWR said the denial of the attack by the Lagos State Police Command through its Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, was unacceptable.
“There is incontrovertible evidence that canisters of tear gas were fired at the protesters. That an AI photo was generated to illustrate the attack does not mean it did not happen. The fact is that it has become the stock-in-trade of the police in Lagos at the behest of the government to mindlessly attack working people and youth protesting against anti-poor policies or failure of the government.
“So, ordinarily for us at the CDWR, it is not surprising that the police attack protesters in Lagos. What is shocking is the extension of their bestial action to elderly/senior citizens whose health conditions are fragile. Indeed, the attack especially with teargas was a threat to the lives of pensioners, some of whom could have developed respiratory problems amidst injuries as a result. If the motive was not to kill, why would the cowardly Nigerian Police who have failed woefully to fight violent crimes teargas defenceless old pensioners?” the group said.
The pensioners embarked on the protest, following the expiration of an ultimatum to the government, to demand an end to delay in the payment of their entitlements, an increment in pension, payment of accumulated arrears and other benefits.
CDWR declared that the right to dissent and protest was fundamental and inalienable and must be respected.
It claimed that in order to avert or criminalise protest or resistance against their characteristic anti-poor policies, the capitalist ruling elite had engendered civilian dictatorship and Police State wherein democratic rights were wilfully attacked.
“CDWR call on the working people and youth not to surrender their rights but rather build a mass movement to consistently resist attacks on democratic rights and anti-poor policies, side by side with the building of mass working people’s party to wrest power from the thieving ruling elite,” the statement reads in part.
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