Customs lost 62 officers to medical emergencies in 2025, begins training on first aid skills at Apapa command

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced a first aid training and sensitization program for its officers on medical emergencies as it disclosed the loss of 62 officers between January and October 2025 due to inability to administer immediate medical assistance.

The training session, which held at the Apapa Command in Lagos on Monday, aims to equip officers with crucial life-saving skills, turning them into first responders in emergency situations.

Declaring the training session open, Conttroller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, emphasized the critical nature of first aid for paramilitary officers, noting that absence or inability to apply it could result in sad occurrences.

He said, “First aid skill is critical to us as paramilitary officers because sometimes the call of duty requires us to be at work zones where doctors, nurses, and paramedics may be far from where a medical emergency happened.

“Implication of this is that the person sitting or standing not far from you could be your emergency nurse or paramedic before a doctor is contacted when the need arises.

“First Aid is a life saver with capacity to reduce severity of injuries and control bleeding. It relieves pain and prevent further damages to parts of the body during medical emergencies. It also resuscitates patients at the verge of passing out.

“For some of us, training like this is not a new thing. I urge officers with experience in this subject to see the session as a refresher period where they could further enhance their life-saving skills. I know that for the majority, this is a first-time experience to learn a lot. ”

Team Lead of the NCS Medical Team and Zonal Medical Officer, Zone B, Comptroller Amwe Aku, confirmed that no fewer than 62 officers lost their lives within January to October 2025.

“It was unfortunate that from January to probably late October, we have lost over 62 officers in the Service, not including those that we lost over the weekend.

“This is a very sad situation which calls for us to have some basic life support skills. Most times, we may be the first responders at the scene, be it at our workplace, be it at home, be it while we are travelling, ” he said.

He said the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi has placed emphasis on the health of all officers, making the training a priority.

During his presentation, Comptroller Aku explained that first aid does not require diagnosis or administering medication, but rather focuses on applying simple, immediate steps to rescue an individual.

“The primary goals of first aid are to preserve lives and relieve suffering before medical professionals arrive, ” he said.

Officers were trained on how to manage a wide range of common workplace emergencies and injuries, including: cardiac arrest, choking, severe bleeding (including from gunshot wounds), fainting, spinal injuries and burns among others.

The sensitization program also included hands-on sessions, which allowed officers to demonstrate and practice techniques like CPR on training mannequins.

At the conclusion of the training, officers were distributed manuals detailing everything they need to know about first aid and its practical application.

Photo caption:

Conttroller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba (right) receiving a manual from
Team Lead of the NCS Medical Team and Zonal Medical Officer, Zone B, Comptroller Amwe Aku, during a training session for officers of the command in Lagos on Monday.