The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services have raised alarms over a troubling increase in hoax calls, which are significantly disrupting their operations. This surge in false emergency calls has been linked to residents placing bets on whether emergency responders will show up.
A source within LASEMA speaking to Punch Nigeria, requesting anonymity, revealed the extent of the issue. “We have experienced an increase in false calls made to our offices, and it was on this note that we discovered that some of the calls were made for different reasons. The most surprising of them were cases of individuals making false calls after betting between themselves on whether we would respond or not,” the source explained.
This disturbing trend has not only wasted valuable resources but also put genuine emergencies at risk. “I have experienced this three times, and we met the culprits during one of the encounters. When we got there, they admitted to betting on whether we would come or not. We could not do anything because the environment was very volatile,” another emergency responder recounted.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Amodu Shakiru, confirmed that hoax calls related to betting are a growing concern. “With the advent of sports betting, it cannot be ruled out because the false call is not abating even after we made examples of false callers being prosecuted. We feel it ought to have reduced but appears to be on a steady rise,” Shakiru said.
In April 2023, a Lagos magistrates court in Ikeja convicted a teenager, Uzuokwu Solomon, for making a false emergency call to the fire service. This case was intended to serve as a deterrent, but the problem persists. “False calls have astronomically increased in the last six months. The few ones we have been able to apprehend among those making hoax calls, we had to work with the police before apprehending them,” Shakiru added.
The Lagos State Government continues to urge residents to refrain from making hoax calls, emphasizing the severe consequences such actions can have on public safety. “Patients’ protection is the foundation of any healthcare system. We urge healthcare professionals to adopt a culture of transparency and accountability by acknowledging and reporting diagnostic errors and learning from them to prevent recurrence,” said Dr. Abiola Idowu, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA.
This report is based on information from Punch Nigeria.
