ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Lagos State Government has warned residents against making fake emergency calls to its Command and Control Centre, saying the trend is hampering swift response to genuine emergencies across the state.
Officials issued the warning during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing in Ikeja on Monday, as part of activities marking seven years of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
Commissioner for Special Duties, Olugbenga Oyerinde, who spoke at the briefing, said the misuse of emergency lines had become alarming.
He disclosed that out of 24.15 million calls received between January 2025 and April 2026, 16.39 million were identified as fake, representing 67.9 per cent of total calls.
He described the development as disturbing and unacceptable.
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He said: “It is disturbing that people call simply to test whether our lines work. Our lines work, but every wasted minute can cost lives.”
Oyerinde warned that prank and unnecessary calls make it difficult for emergency operators to quickly distinguish real distress situations, noting that delays could worsen fire outbreaks, accidents, and medical emergencies.
He urged parents, schools, and community leaders to sensitise young people on the importance of responsible use of emergency lines.
Also speaking, General Manager of the Command and Control Centre, Femi Kennedy-Giwa, expressed concern over repeated prank calls from the same numbers, saying such behaviour undermines efficiency and public trust.
According to him, “Such calls prevent genuine callers from receiving immediate attention. We must do better as residents of Lagos.”
He assured that public awareness campaigns would be sustained across the state.
Oyerinde further disclosed that fire incidents remained the most common emergencies recorded in 2025, with responders saving properties valued at N118.32bn.
He added that 1,924 victims were rescued alive, while properties worth N19.72bn were lost.
He said a total of 1,972 genuine emergencies were recorded in 2025, with 1,685 of them being fire-related incidents.
According to him, March recorded the highest number of emergencies with 210 cases due to dry weather conditions, while August recorded the lowest, attributed to heavy rainfall.
He noted that Alimosho recorded the highest number of incidents at 180, followed by Eti-Osa with 156 and Ikeja with 139.
Road accidents accounted for 394 cases, while truck and tanker accidents made up 249.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency handled 1,156 emergencies, with 173 bodies recovered during operations involving collapsed buildings and flooding.
Ship fires, pipeline leakages, and medical emergencies were also recorded, while ambulance teams responded to 1,382 medical cases as pre-hospital care services expanded across the state.
On enforcement, Oyerinde said the Lagos State Safety Commission carried out intensified inspections, leading to enforcement actions at over 2,800 sites.
He added that more than 100 businesses, including restaurants and supermarkets, were sealed for safety violations, while construction sites, factories, oil facilities, haulage firms, and hotels were also inspected.
According to him, the state government procured 62 firefighting vehicles to strengthen emergency response capacity.
He also disclosed that fire stations had been completed in Ebute-Elefun and Ijegun-Egba, while projects in Oworonshoki, Yaba, and Ikotun were ongoing.
Oyerinde reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a safer Lagos, stressing that improved preparedness remains central to its public safety strategy.