Lagos emergency authorities say over 12 million nuisance calls in 2025 disrupted response operations and urged residents to use emergency lines responsibly.
The Lagos State Emergency Command and Control Centre says it received more than 12 million nuisance calls and over three million abandoned calls in 2025, raising concerns about the misuse of toll-free emergency lines. The centre’s General Manager, Femi Giwa, said prank and false calls were hampering effective emergency response and delaying life-saving interventions.
Giwa explained that false distress reports often trigger unnecessary deployment of ambulances, fire trucks and security personnel, diverting resources from real emergencies. He urged residents to use emergency numbers responsibly, noting that misuse of the lines could cost lives despite the centre’s decentralised emergency assets designed to ensure rapid response within five to ten minutes.
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