Insecurity: Senate Moves to Create Nationwide Toll-Free Emergency Number

As part of efforts to curb rising insecurity across the country, the Senate, yesterday, approved for a second reading, a bill seeking to establish a single nationwide toll-free emergency number.

According to the lawmakers, this is aimed at improving Nigeria’s emergency response architecture and addressing the country’s escalating security challenges.

Sponsored by Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the bill which is for an Act to establish a nationwide toll-free emergency number for reporting emergencies throughout the federation, aims to replace the multiple emergency numbers currently used across states with a uniform, easy-to-remember three-digit code proposed as 112.

Leading debate on the bill, Yar’adua said the legislation would plug a major gap in Nigeria’s emergency response system and bring the country in line with global best practices.

“This bill seeks to provide for a nationwide toll-free emergency number that will aid the implementation of a national system of reporting emergencies and for other related matters,” he said.

“Emergency numbers are needed in life-threatening situations; the presence of multiple emergency numbers in Nigeria has been identified as an impediment to getting accelerated emergency response,” he added.

He noted that although Lagos, the FCT, Ogun and other states operate different toll-free lines for police, ambulance, fire, domestic violence, child abuse and other emergencies, the fragmentation often leads to delays that cost lives.

Citing examples from the United Kingdom, United States and India, Yar’adua argued that a unified national number would improve coordination, enable location tracking and enhance first responder efficiency.

He said: “Recent statistics show that close to 90 percent of Nigerians own mobile phones, therefore, a toll-free emergency number will go a long way in ensuring that Nigerians in distress are just a dial away from the relevant emergency institutions.

“Calls or text messages sent to the emergency number will land at the nearest public safety answering point or control room for necessary responses.”

He urged the Senate to support the bill’s passage, stressing that it would require strong collaboration between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), relevant government agencies and mobile network operators.

Senators across party lines backed the proposal. In his submission, Ali Ndume praised the bill as “timely and very important,” especially in the context of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

“One of the challenges we are facing during this heightened insecurity is lack of proper or effective communication with the affected agencies. If we do this, we are enhancing and contributing to solving the security challenges and other related criminalities we are facing in the country,” he stated.

He urged the Senate leadership to fast-track the legislation so it could be approved and implemented without delay.

Also speaking in support, Mohammed Tahir Monguno described the bill as essential to strengthening public participation in security and emergency reporting.

“Our security community is always calling on the general public to report what they see. There is a need for the government to create an avenue where the public can report what they see without any hindrance,” Monguno said.

He argued that the bill would “give strength and muscular expression” to the national call for vigilance, by replacing the “multiplicity of emergency lines” with a single channel easily accessible to all Nigerians.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Committee on Communications for further legislative action. It is expected to report back after four weeks.