The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a comprehensive first aid training programme for its officers and men, a move described by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, as a vital investment in workplace safety and operational readiness.
This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer ,Superintendent of Customs Tunde Ayagbalo
Welcoming the NCS medical team to the Command, Oshoba said the initiative reflects the commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to improving staff welfare and strengthening emergency preparedness across the Service.
Oshoba noted that basic lifesaving skills such as CPR, bleeding control, choking relief and stroke recognition can determine whether a victim survives, fully recovers or suffers preventable long term damage. He warned that the absence of first aid knowledge during emergencies often results in avoidable tragedies, especially in areas where officers operate without immediate access to medical personnel. While acknowledging that some personnel had prior knowledge, he described the exercise as a crucial refresher and encouraged first timers to engage actively in both theoretical and practical sessions.
Leading the training, the Zonal Medical Officer for Zone B, Comptroller A.S. Aku, conducted hands on demonstrations, giving every participant the opportunity to practice CPR and techniques used to assist choking victims.
Aku added that the training was designed to ensure officers understand the goals of first aid, the types of interventions available and the appropriate situations for administering them, stressing that panic often contributes to poor outcomes during emergencies.
The training covered CPR administration, management of bleeding, response to gunshot injuries, and handling bone and joint trauma, among other emergency procedures. A key highlight was the presentation of the Customs Medical Corps First Aid Manual to Comptroller Oshoba by the Zonal Medical Officer, symbolizing NCS’s renewed drive to improve health and safety capacity within its commands.
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