Saturday, February 13, 2010

767 the emergency dial that works

Someone please call 767 not 911… that's old school...767 is the number to call..

Things are getting better and they keep getting even better, Lagos state is getting pretty interesting and quite unusual these days with the abnormal becoming very normal and the unusual becoming seemingly unusual. I have heard testimonies of the new efficiency of the emergency response system of the Fash’s led administration, testimonies of prompt response to emergency calls in the case of a robbery operation at Abule Egba here in Lagos, a funny story on its own where policemen operating a black-spot around the area heard shouts of robbery and gunshots and quickly dived into the gutters only for another mobile police office in a commuter bus to alight from his bus, went into the gutter, retrieved the ammo from the scared Lilly livered thieves and went after the robbery gang, some people in the neighbourhood dialed the 767 emergency numbers, and in minutes, a Rapid Response Squad team (RRS) showed up at the scene of the robbery, and aborted the gangs operation with the first officer that alighted from the bus killing 2 of the men while others were over powered.

Another testimony is that the Lagos State governor, Mr. Raji Fashola, which he stated while appealing to the telecommunications regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the Lagos State emergency number 767. According to the governor, the appeal has become imperative in the face of the recent aid the state has received due to active usage of the Save Our Soul (SOS) number. He cited an instance of a robbery attack last weekend in Lekki axis of Lagos, of which a good citizen was able to make a call through to the 767 and in a matter of 90 seconds, the police anti-robbery team was at the scene and was able to forestall the activities of the underworld men. The appeal was favourably considered and it's has just saved a whole neighbourhood from going down in flames.

It's 2:00am in the morning, 1 McCullum street Ebute-Metta at the office of Grid InfoTech Nig Ltd, men working late in the night, power generator blaring under the stair case when Sage saw a raging fire gutting down a building just two blocks away from the office from the balcony of the building, I ran outside saw the building in fire and the first thing that came to mind was the 767 emergency number classified for Lagos and it's environ alone (for now), I collected Sage's phone, dialed the number and got a busy tone, ran back in grabbed my landline and the call sailed through without ringing, the operator thanked me for the information and told them that the same incident as just been reported and that men of the fire service are on their way, I thanked him and before I could drop the line I saw the light of the siren of the fire service truck turn into the street. I smiled but my smile wasn’t that of indignation and but surprise, I asked myself, his this really happening here in Lagos? Before I couldn’t find the answers to my questions, but the fire service team gave me the answer, the fire was knocked out in 20mins and we are all living happily ever after till this moment. I am not flabberwhelmed or overgasted because I believe this present Lagos we live in runs a system that works, things are getting better, all I ask and pray is that thing only get better than they are now... I shared the news with a friend I was online with Abimbola Sonowo (she's based in Ireland) and she was surprised that a 911 thingy is real and working in Naija... she's spreading the good news and I am here too sharing with friends and foes...alike... and all that stops by.

LAGOS STATE is working, let’s keep it working, Naija is working let’s make it work together, IBeNaijaBoy.

Eko O ni Bajé ooo!!!