The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a comprehensive basic first aid training for its officers and men, a move the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described as a vital investment in workplace safety and operational preparedness.
Welcoming the Service’s medical team to the Command, Comptroller Oshoba said the training reflects the commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, to enhancing staff welfare and strengthening frontline response capacity.
He emphasized that first aid competence is a universal life skill, especially critical for customs personnel who often operate in high-risk environments where immediate medical support may not be available. According to him, timely interventions such as CPR, bleeding control, choking relief, and stroke recognition can determine whether a victim survives or suffers avoidable long-term damage.
“Sometimes, our officers work in areas where doctors, nurses or paramedics are not readily accessible. In such situations, the person next to you becomes your emergency nurse or paramedic,” Oshoba said.
He noted that proper first aid can reduce the severity of injuries, relieve pain, control bleeding, and stabilize victims who may be close to losing consciousness. While acknowledging that some officers already possess basic first aid knowledge, he urged them to approach the programme as an essential refresher, and encouraged first-time trainees to actively participate in both theoretical and practical sessions.
Declaring the training open, Oshoba expressed confidence that participants would acquire life-saving skills essential to the Service’s operational efficiency. He described the initiative as “time well spent” for the Command.
Leading the sessions, the Zonal Medical Officer for Zone B, Comptroller A.S. Aku, walked officers through hands-on demonstrations, allowing each participant to practice CPR and choking rescue techniques.
“When there is an emergency, you are the first responder. What you do in the first few minutes is critical before professional help arrives,” Aku said. “By the end of this exercise, we should understand the four goals of first aid, identify types of first aid, and know when and how to administer them. Too often, emergencies occur around us and we panic because we lack the basic skills.”
The training covered CPR, bleeding control, gunshot response, and managing bone and joint injuries, among other emergency procedures.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the Customs Medical Corps First Aid Manual by Comptroller Aku to the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, symbolizing the Service’s commitment to strengthening emergency response capabilities across commands.
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