The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has urged the citizens to shun the abuse of the Nigeria Police Force emergency numbers.
Olumuyiwa disclosed this in an interview on Miliki 101.3 radio station, Lagos, when asked if the emergency numbers for every state command was still active for response.
He affirmed the numbers were all functioning, but stated that most citizens abuse the purpose of the emergency numbers, which is not proper.
“When citizens dial emergency numbers, they use them for the wrong cause. When you call the numbers that robbery is happening somewhere, you do not have to ask me, the welfare of my family. You are not expected to ask about the police recruitment process on the numbers.
“You cannot call to wish me happy celebrations. It is not meant for that, it is an emergency line. You cannot be asking for directives on how to fill your details on the police portal.
“Many citizens misuse the emergency service, and it infuriates those assigned to respond to calls at that desk”, he said.
The spokesperson clarified that there was a difference between the operations of customer care attendants, and those police officers at the control unit.
“Let me say this here, we are not customer care attendants, especially those network service providers. Those ones cannot cut off your calls. If you call the police control room, and you are talking too much, or off point, they will abort it. They are at their duty posts, we are not customer care attendants. That will be tolerating your shenanigans.
“If you call the police emergency numbers, and you are blabbering, the officers in charge will cut off. That is not what they are there for.
He also warned the callers not to “ask for my wife, my children on emergency calls. Many individuals abuse it, that it is what is making it look as if, the numbers are not functioning.”
The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, had lamented that some undisclosed persons drop the command’s emergency numbers with loan shark companies to obtain loans.
He also said some non-state actors had also been engaging the emergency lines.
