The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has called on the Lagos State Government to urgently settle all outstanding pensions, gratuities and allowances owed to retired public servants.
In a statement on Tuesday signed by its National President, Yinka Folarin, and General Secretary, Idris Afees, the group said the delay in payment had pushed elderly former workers into hardship.
The appeal followed a protest by pensioners on Monday at the Lagos State House of Assembly, where they demanded the release of their unpaid entitlements after years of service.
The CDHR condemned the situation and stressed that the government has a responsibility to honour its obligations to retirees.
“Retired public servants are not criminals. Pension is not a favour, charity or privilege; it is a right and an entitlement earned through years of dedicated service,” the group stated.
The rights group urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to immediately engage representatives of the pensioners and take concrete steps to clear all verified arrears.
“Those who wear uniforms today must recognise that retirement is a reality that awaits every worker. It is therefore morally wrong to treat vulnerable senior citizens with brutality simply because they are demanding the benefits they earned,” the group added.
CDHR argued that Lagos, as one of Nigeria’s most economically viable states, has no reason to allow senior citizens who served the state to suffer while waiting for benefits they are owed.
The organisation called on the government to prioritise the welfare of retirees and ensure prompt payment of pensions going forward to prevent further hardship.
