ABUJA – The Senate on Tuesday passed a Bill to take on 112 as the toll-free number for crises, in the proposed Nationwide Emergency Communications Service. 

This followed the the Nationwide Toll-Free Emergency Number (Establishment) Bill, 2021. 

The Bill relied on a report by the Committee on Communications was introduced by Senator Biodun Olujimi in the interest of the Committee Chairman, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. 

Olujimi clarified that Clause 2 of the bill tries to build up the Nationwide Emergency Communications Service. 

She noticed that when set up, the Service would be responsible for organization, coordination and deployment of a consistent and solid start to finish framework for crisis needs all through Nigeria. 

Olujimi likewise uncovered that Clause 5 of the Bill was altered to vest the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) with the obligation of planning guidelines and rules for the operations of the Nationwide Emergency Communications Service. 

The administrator clarified that Clause 11 of the bill forbids the utilization of phones to put a bogus, pointless or vexatious call to the crisis number 112. 

Proviso 12 of the bill gives that, "a person who violates any of the provisions of this bill or the regulations is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a penalty of not more than fifty thousand naira or in default to a term imprisonment not exceeding six months, and for each subsequent offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than two hundred and fifty thousand naira or, in default, to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year.”

Also, new sub provisions (2), (3) and (4) were added in the bill with accommodate the blacklisting of any individual who disregards Clause 11 for a period not over about two months.