Nigerians made 34m emergency calls in eight months

• Danbatta sees huge role for the media in conflict resolution

From January to August, 2021, about 34 million calls were made by Nigerians, who were seeking succor during emergencies or under any circumstance posing security issue and unrest within their communities.

These emergency calls were made using the 122 Emergency Number. The calls were processed through the Emergency Call Centres (ECC).

Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this known yesterday in Abuja, at a two-day All Nigerian Editors Conference with the theme: “Media in Times of Crisis: Resolving Conflict, Achieving Consensus.”

Danbatta informed that currently, 23 states in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have functional ECCs each. He said this regulatory intervention has had highly profound positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, the Centres have been transforming lives and helping many citizens in handling emergencies and serious crisis situation through instant dispatch of emergency calls received, to Response Agencies.

“In addition to the 23 already established and functioning ECCs, the Commission will soon activate ECCs in nine more states, with an auspicious projection to inaugurate similar projects in the remaining four states by ending of 2022, thereby having an ECC per state and in the FCT, in line with Federal Government’s directive, ” he added.

Danbatta recalled that in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Nigeria, over 1,500 calls bordering on COVID-19-related issue were received and processed by the ECC.

The Centres, according to him, provided a platform for members of the public to seek life-saving information and support with regards to COVID-19 related cases by dialing ‘112’ from any of the networks.

“More remarkably, Nigerians have become more aware of and are using the 122 Emergency Number. Between January and August, 2021, about 34 million calls were made by Nigerians, who were seeking succor during emergencies or under any circumstance posing security issue and unrest within their communities,” he stated.