The Lagos State Government reported that one Uzuokwu Solomon has been charged with crimes involving making fictitious calls to emergency responders.
This was confirmed in a statement by Ololade Agboola, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
Ololade said that the 2013 Command and Control Center Law and the Lagos State Fire Service Law both had penalties for the offense.
The 18-year-old Solomon, according to the declaration, allegedly called the fire department’s emergency line on Friday, April 14, 2023, at 5:35 p.m. from Harmony Estate in the state’s Ajah area and reported a fire emergency inside the estate, triggering the emergency protocols to be activated and ultimately causing the dispatch of the fire trucks from Lekki Phase II Fire service station.
The statement reads partly, “On arrival, it was discovered that there was no fire incident in the estate. Because of the frequency of such calls in the past, the Estate security helped in the investigation which led to the arrest of the notorious false caller.
“Consequently, the culprit who had been arrested is scheduled to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction at Ogba Magistrate on the 19th of April, 2023 by 9.00am.
“Speaking with Journalists, The Director Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye expressed her delight in the arrest of the culprit while reiterating the stand of the State government on malicious false calls which is punishable under the Lagos State laws.
“She believes that the arrest and consequent arraignment will serve as a deterrent for other misguided citizens who are in the habit of making false calls and misleading emergency responders.”
Ololade added that false calls have astronomically increased in the last six months.