The National Campaign Council of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the failure of Nigeria’s 112 emergency number during a live television demonstration as a “national embarrassment”, accusing the federal government of failing to provide reliable public services.
The council said the incident exposed the state of the country’s emergency response infrastructure and raised questions about the government’s preparedness to protect citizens.
Its spokesperson, Chiogo Ikokwu, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday in reaction to the failed demonstration of the line during the appearance of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alwan Hassan, on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
Hassan, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, had challenged the programme’s presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, to dial 112 to demonstrate that the emergency number was operational.
However, the call failed to connect, prompting Hassan to suggest that the problem could be caused by network issues.
Reacting, the NDC described the incident as an example of what it called the failure of the APC-led government.
“The failed attempt by President Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Spokesperson, Mallam Alwan Hassan, to demonstrate the functionality of Nigeria’s 112 emergency line on national television was nothing short of a national embarrassment,” the statement read.
The council said the incident raised serious questions about the state of Nigeria’s emergency response infrastructure, arguing that citizens needed a functional system to access help during accidents, violent attacks and medical emergencies.
“Giving an excuse that the line did not work because of ‘network issues’ does not cut it at all,” it reads further in parts.
The NDC said the incident was not an isolated failure, citing insecurity, poorly equipped hospitals, unreliable public infrastructure, failing institutions and the rising cost of living as other challenges facing Nigerians.
It also accused the government of being more concerned about defending its record than addressing the problems confronting citizens.
“What makes this particularly troubling is the government’s apparent obsession with defending its record rather than fixing the problems. Public resources, government machinery and official platforms should be deployed to deliver results, not manufacture positive headlines,” the statement said.
The council added, “Governance is not about what government spokespersons say on television, it is about what ordinary Nigerians experience when they need their government most.”
The statement added that Nigerians deserved functional institutions and reliable public services, particularly in emergencies.
The controversy followed Tuesday’s television demonstration, during which Okinbaloye reported that his call to 112 was not connecting.
PUNCH Online also reported that a call by its correspondent to the number failed to connect, although an X user reported that a call went through in Umuahia, Abia State.
The different experiences raised questions about the consistency of the service across locations.
Hassan had said the emergency communication centres were expected to receive calls and contact relevant responders, including ambulance services and the police.
He also said the Abuja centre was ready but that Tinubu had directed that it should not be launched until centres across the country were aligned. He expected the process to be completed by March 2027.
When Okinbaloye suggested that the emergency number might be among the administration’s promises that were not yet fully functional, Hassan said, “We’ll fulfil them. We’ll fulfil them with time. This is why we’re asking for more time.”
