An attempt by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alwan Hassan, to demonstrate the functionality of Nigeria’s 112 emergency line on live television ended in embarrassment on Tuesday after the number failed to connect when a presenter dialled it.

Hassan had promoted the toll-free emergency number as one of the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.

Seeking to prove that the service was working, the APC Presidential Campaign Council member challenged the presenter to call the number during the broadcast.

“Take your phone and call 112. Nobody knows about this. We used to hear it in America: 911. Call 112 now, put it on the speaker, and they’ll ask you what’s your emergency. Thanks to the APC government,” Hassan said.

But the demonstration did not go as planned, as Okinbaloye’s call failed to connect.

“This number is not working,” the presenter remarked.

Hassan blamed the unsuccessful attempt on a possible network issue, maintaining that the emergency line was operational. He claimed to have called the number successfully on several previous occasions.

Okinbaloye disputed the network explanation, noting that other calls were going through from the same location. He added that viewers had also been contacting the programme to report their inability to reach the emergency line.

Defending the system, Hassan outlined how the service was designed to operate, explaining that calls would be directed to emergency communication centres within the callers’ respective locations.

He said operators at the centres would assess the nature of each emergency and alert the relevant agencies, with medical cases referred to ambulance services and security incidents forwarded to the nearest police station.

Hassan also revealed plans to introduce a location-tracking system that would allow emergency operators to identify callers’ positions through a dashboard without requiring them to provide their addresses.

He disclosed that the emergency communication centre in Abuja was ready, but said Tinubu had instructed that it should not be commissioned until similar facilities across the country were properly coordinated.

According to him, the nationwide alignment of the centres is expected to be completed by March 2027.

When Okinbaloye questioned the administration’s progress on its promises and described the emergency line as one of the commitments yet to become fully functional, Hassan urged Nigerians to give the government more time.

“We’ll fulfil them. We’ll fulfil them with time. This is why we’re asking for more time,” he said.

The Federal Government had in September directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Police Force, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), among other agencies, to develop a roadmap for the nationwide implementation of the 112 emergency service.

The directive came after the National Economic Council (NEC) approved 112 as Nigeria’s single universal toll-free emergency number, designed to replace multiple emergency contact lines and provide a central point for requesting assistance during medical emergencies, accidents, fires and security incidents. (Tribune)