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APC chieftain Alwan Hassan challenged Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye to test the national emergency number, insisting it was operational.
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Both men repeatedly failed to connect to 112 during Tuesday night’s edition of Politics Today, contradicting Hassan’s assurances.
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Hassan attributed the failed calls to possible network problems but maintained that the service had worked previously, while disclosing that nationwide coordination of emergency centres was still being developed.
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The incident comes weeks after Hassan sparked controversy by alleging that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover their investments.
November 11, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s national emergency number, 112, failed to connect during a live television demonstration on Tuesday night, contradicting assurances by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alwan Hassan, that the service was operational under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
THEWILL reports that the incident occurred during Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, when Hassan, a member and spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, cited the emergency response system as one of the administration’s achievements and challenged the programme’s presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, to test its effectiveness.
Hassan Challenges Presenter to Test Emergency Number
Hassan had highlighted what he described as improvements in emergency response under the Tinubu administration, explaining that emergency communication centres were designed to receive distress calls and connect callers to appropriate responders based on their locations.
To demonstrate how the system worked, he urged Okinbaloye to dial 112 and put his phone on speaker, insisting that the presenter would be connected to an emergency response operator.
“Take your phone and call 112. Nobody knows about this. We used to hear about it in America, 911. Call 112 now, put it on speaker, and they’ll ask you, ‘What’s your emergency?’” Hassan said.
He explained that callers in Enugu, Abuja, Kano and other states would be connected to the emergency communication centres serving their respective locations.
“Thanks to the APC government,” he added.
Both Attempts Fail as Presenter Challenges Network Explanation
However, the demonstration took an unexpected turn when Okinbaloye dialled the number but failed to establish a connection.
“This number is not working,” the presenter said.
Hassan initially suggested that the failure could be due to network problems but maintained that the emergency line was functional.
In an attempt to substantiate his claim, the APC chieftain also dialled the number several times but equally failed to get through.
Okinbaloye, however, challenged the network explanation, pointing out that other calls were connecting from the same location.
He also disclosed that viewers were sending messages to the programme indicating that they, too, could not reach the emergency number.
Despite the failed attempts, Hassan insisted that he had successfully used the service on previous occasions.
Nationwide Emergency Centres Still Being Coordinated
Hassan explained that calls to 112 were expected to be received by emergency communication centres in the callers’ respective locations, where operators would establish the nature of the emergency and contact the appropriate response agencies.
According to him, medical emergencies would be referred to ambulance services, while security-related incidents would be forwarded to the nearest police station.
He further disclosed that the government was developing a system that would enable emergency centres to identify callers’ locations through a central dashboard, making it easier for responders to locate people in distress.
Hassan said the Abuja emergency communication centre was ready but that Tinubu had directed that it should not be officially launched until centres across the country were properly aligned.
The APC chieftain expressed optimism that the nationwide arrangement would be completed by March next year.
When Okinbaloye suggested that the emergency number might be another government initiative yet to become fully operational, he referenced what he described as a long list of unfulfilled promises by the administration.
Hassan, however, maintained that the government would deliver on its commitments, arguing that more time was needed.
“We’ll fulfil them. We’ll fulfil them with time. This is why we’re asking for more time,” he said.
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Hassan Had Earlier Alleged Ministers Pay Billions For Appointments
The failed demonstration is the second time Hassan has attracted public attention over controversial claims concerning the Tinubu administration within weeks.
On October 22, 2026, the APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson sparked controversy during an interview on ARISE News after alleging that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure ministerial appointments and subsequently seek to recover the money after assuming office.
Speaking while defending the administration’s approach to managing government revenue and expenditure, Hassan alleged that some political appointees regard ministerial positions as investments from which they must recoup their financial commitments.
“A lot of ministers pay billions and billions, and, you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money,” he said.
The allegation attracted widespread attention, particularly because it came from a spokesperson of the ruling party’s Presidential Campaign Council while defending the President’s administration.
Hassan subsequently clarified that he was not referring exclusively to ministers serving under the APC-led government, arguing that the alleged practice predated the party’s emergence into power.
“It is a truth I’m telling you about our country. Not just APC, before APC,” he said.
He did not identify any of the ministers allegedly involved, name anyone who supposedly received the payments, or provide documentary evidence to substantiate the allegation during the interview.
Failed Demonstration Renews Questions Over Emergency Response
The two television appearances have generated separate public discussions: one over Hassan’s allegations of financial transactions allegedly associated with securing ministerial appointments, and the other over the failure of the 112 emergency number during a live demonstration he personally encouraged.
The latest incident has renewed attention to the operational readiness and accessibility of Nigeria’s national emergency response system.
The 112 emergency number is intended to provide citizens with access to assistance during medical, security, fire, and other emergencies, making its availability critical when immediate intervention is required.
The inability to establish a connection during the live television demonstration, despite repeated attempts by both Hassan and Okinbaloye, has raised questions about the extent of the service’s nationwide functionality.
Although Hassan maintained that the number had worked for him previously, his disclosure that nationwide coordination of emergency communication centres was still being developed has drawn attention to the outstanding arrangements required to ensure that Nigerians can reliably reach emergency responders when they need help.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
