NDC slams FG as 112 emergency line fails on live TV

The National Campaign Council of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the Federal Government after the 112 national emergency number failed to connect during a live television demonstration.

The opposition party described the incident as a clear indicator of the government’s inability to provide reliable public services for citizens in distress.

The failed demonstration occurred on Wednesday when a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alwan Hassan, appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Hassan, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, had challenged the programme’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, to dial 112 to prove the emergency line was fully operational. When the call failed to connect on live television, Hassan attributed the disruption to potential network issues.

The APC chieftain subsequently explained that President Bola Tinubu directed that the facility should not be launched until emergency centres nationwide are properly aligned. He stated that the harmonisation process is expected to be completed by March 2027, urging Nigerians to grant the administration more time to fulfill its promises.

The NDC in response, through its spokesperson, Chiogo Ikokwu, described the incident as a national embarrassment that exposes the poor state of the emergency response infrastructure of Nigeria. He accused the APC-led administration of neglecting critical infrastructure.

“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”, Ikokwu.

The NDC stated that citizens urgently need a functional system to access help during violent attacks, medical emergencies, and road accidents. The council dismissed the network issue excuse, stressing that public resources must be deployed to deliver results rather than manufacture positive headlines.

Listing the incident alongside ongoing insecurity, poorly equipped hospitals, and the rising cost of living, the party accused the government of focusing on public relations over governance.

“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.

After the broadcast, independent checks revealed inconsistencies in the service across different regions. While several callers experienced connection failures, some reports revealed that the 112 emergency line connected successfully for some residents in Umuahia, Abia State.