What was supposed to be a moment of celebration for the Nigerian government quickly turned into an embarrassing television moment after the country’s national emergency number, 112, failed to connect during a live demonstration on Channels Television.
The drama unfolded on Tuesday, November 10, during an appearance by Alwan Hassan, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, on the popular programme Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.
While discussing the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Hassan mentioned Nigeria’s 112 emergency number as one of the government’s initiatives designed to help citizens access emergency assistance.
Confidently defending the service, the APC chieftain challenged the presenter to dial 112 live on television, insisting that Nigerians could use the number to request police intervention, ambulance services and other emergency assistance.
However, things did not go according to plan.
When Okinbaloye dialled the number, the call repeatedly failed to connect, leaving the presenter visibly unconvinced.
“This number is not working,” he remarked.
Hassan immediately suggested that the problem could be related to network issues, maintaining that the emergency line was functional and that he had successfully used it on previous occasions.
But Okinbaloye pushed back, explaining that other telephone calls were connecting from the same location. He also revealed that viewers were sending messages to report similar difficulties accessing the emergency number.
The situation became even more interesting when the presenter questioned whether the service was another government promise yet to become fully operational.
Rather than backing down, Hassan appealed for patience, insisting that the administration would fulfil its commitments.
“We’ll fulfil them. We’ll fulfil them with time. This is why we’re asking for more time,” he said.
Interestingly, subsequent reports showed that TheCable successfully reached the Lagos State Emergency Centre using 112, suggesting that the service may work in some locations despite inconsistent access reported elsewhere.
The incident has since sparked reactions across social media, with Nigerians questioning how reliable the country’s emergency response system really is.
For many citizens, the issue goes beyond politics. When someone is trapped in a burning building, involved in an accident or facing a life-threatening situation, every second matters.
Nigerians are therefore demanding more than promises. They want an emergency number that actually works when they need it most.
