With insecurity on the rise, emergency responses delayed, and trust in reporting systems eroding, Adeoye Temitope has proposed the adoption of a Joint Emergency Response and Citizen Engagement (JERCE) framework to strengthen national safety and enhance coordination between citizens and government institutions.

Temitope noted that many Nigerians hesitate to report incidents such as kidnappings, accidents, and security threats due to fears of delayed action, information leaks, or escalation. This reluctance has led to widespread underreporting, weakening early response mechanisms nationwide.

Through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Defence Headquarters, NSCDC, FRSC, NEMA, Fire Services, private entities, and other relevant agencies, the government can partner with FactCheck Initiative and IDC Platforms, the operators of the Kaci Help App, to establish a coordinated reporting system.

The proposed framework draws from real-life experiences where citizens were unsure who to contact during emergencies. JERCE integrates emergency response and citizen engagement into a single system, anchored on the Kaci Help App as the citizen-facing reporting platform. Central to the framework is open and anonymous reporting, allowing individuals to share critical information without fear of exposure or retaliation.

Through Kaci Help, an acronym for Know, Act, Care, Inform, citizens can report incidents publicly or anonymously, request assistance, and engage authorities via Emergency, SOS, iReport, and Consultation features. These tools enable users to share verified information, trigger alerts, and track progress with improved transparency.

JERCE also proposes a national Situation Room to coordinate responses, monitor incidents in real time, and support informed decision-making. Using data analysis and artificial intelligence, the unit would identify patterns, prioritize incidents, and strengthen early warning capabilities nationwide.

The framework supports coordination at federal, state, and local levels, enabling central oversight while allowing faster local responses. Citizens would receive updates via live chat and status tracking on Kaci Help, a step critical to rebuilding trust in public reporting systems.

Temitope added that a trusted JERCE framework could reduce reliance on personal police escorts by addressing safety challenges at a systemic level. Funding is designed to be sustainable through the Kaci Help subscription model, supporting infrastructure, responder training, system maintenance, and performance incentives without burdening government budgets.

“With a dedicated JERCE Situation Room and structured open and anonymous reporting through Kaci Help, incidents across Nigeria can be accurately tracked, counted, and accounted for,” Temitope said. “This enables better analysis, transparency, and informed decision-making.”

He concluded that modern national safety relies on communication, trust, coordination, and data, describing the JERCE framework as a necessary evolution in how Nigeria responds to emergencies and engages its citizens.