Lagos State Government Warns Residents Against Fake Emergency Calls
The Lagos State Government has raised concern over the increasing misuse of its emergency hotlines, warning that prank and non-emergency calls are hampering response operations and endangering lives across the state.
Officials disclosed on Monday in Ikeja during a ministerial briefing marking seven years of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's administration that between January 2025 and April 2026, the state's Command and Control Centre received approximately 24 million calls. Of these, more than 16 million were either pranks or had no emergency purpose.
Commissioner for Special Duties Olugbenga Oyerinde described the figures as deeply troubling. "It is disturbing that people call simply to test whether our lines work. Our lines work, but every wasted minute can cost lives," he said.
Oyerinde emphasized that the burden falls heavily on frontline operators who must filter through a high volume of irrelevant calls to identify genuine emergencies, often under time pressure. He called on parents, educators, and community leaders to take a more active role in teaching responsible use of emergency services.
Femi Kennedy-Giwa, General Manager of the Command and Control Centre, noted that some numbers have been flagged for repeated prank calls, a pattern that erodes both operational efficiency and public trust in emergency services. He announced that awareness campaigns would be intensified across the state.
Beyond the fake call crisis, officials used the briefing to outline the state's emergency response record for 2025. Fire incidents dominated, accounting for the vast majority of the roughly 1,972 genuine emergencies recorded that year. Response teams rescued close to 2,000 people and recovered properties worth over N118 billion, though losses of nearly N20 billion were also recorded. Medical response teams attended to over a thousand cases, while road and heavy vehicle accidents made up a significant share of callouts.
Among local government areas, Alimosho generated the heaviest emergency load, followed by Eti-Osa and Ikeja. Dry conditions in March drove a spike in incidents, while August saw the quietest period of the year.
On preparedness, Oyerinde said dozens of new firefighting vehicles had been added to the state's fleet, with new fire stations commissioned in two locations and several others under construction.
