Prank calls disrupt emergency services, warns LASG

The Lagos State Government has warned that thousands of prank calls to its emergency response centre are undermining rescue operations and putting lives at risk, disclosing that nearly two-thirds of daily calls received by the state’s command and control centre are false alarms.

Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, disclosed this while representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as keynote speaker at the third Lagos International Fire Safety Conference.

The conference, themed “Preventing the Preventable: Strengthening Fire Safety in Buildings and Business Hubs,” focused on improving fire prevention measures and strengthening safety culture across homes, workplaces and commercial centres.

Hamzat said abuse of the state’s emergency lines continued to divert critical resources away from genuine emergencies.

“Our command and control centre is well equipped. But tragically, if we receive 1,000 calls a day, 62 per cent are actually [hoax] calls,” he said.

He noted that the Lagos State House of Assembly had criminalised deliberate false emergency calls because of their impact on emergency response operations.

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“Now it’s a crime in Lagos. The House of Assembly has passed the law. When you deliberately call emergency services for a hoax call, we lose resources, we lose manpower, and we also can’t go to where emergencies are, so we can lose lives,” he said.

He said effective fire prevention required the active participation of residents, businesses and public institutions, stressing that emergency management could only succeed where citizens acted responsibly.

Hamzat also noted that the conference’s theme underscored the need for stronger safety practices and greater public awareness.

“The theme, ‘Preventing the Preventable: Strengthening Fire Safety in Buildings and Business Hubs,’ speaks directly to our need for stronger safety practices and greater awareness.

“Protecting lives, property and businesses requires a shared commitment. It is about all of us adopting a genuine culture of safety,” he said.

The deputy governor urged organisations and property owners to prioritise fire prevention measures, comply with safety regulations and ensure emergency preparedness to reduce avoidable incidents across the state.