Army trains 62 Customs officials on arms handling, physical fitness

The Nigerian Army has said that it had trained and certified 62 officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command, Apapa, on weapon handling, armory management and physical fitness.
The certification, which was given after four weeks’ training was conducted at the 9 Brigade Army, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Commander of the Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu, said, on Friday, in Lagos, that the training was aimed at building the capacity of the officers and towards improving the proficiency of the officers on weapon handling, drill, armoury management and physical fitness.
“This training is in line with the Comptroller-General’s drive to re-professionalise the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for optimal service delivery, in collaboration with the Chief of Army Staff. It is also in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision to assist and co-operate with sister agencies that this brigade was tasked to conduct four-week training for NCS.
“You are aware that the country and the world at large are currently undergoing numerous dimensions of security and economic challenges.
“As a government agency charged with the responsibility of revenue generation and anti-smuggling, it is expedient that you sharpen your skills at all times to be better prepared for likely enforcement of the law.
“To this end, the trainees went through a series of physical fitness regimes which included training on the obstacles crossing course, among other fitness training,” he said.
He further stated that the training was in line with the mandate given to the Nigerian Army extend military aid to civil authority and other agencies.
“It is in line with the constitutional provision which mandates the Nigeria Army to extend military aid to civil authorities and sister security agencies”, he concluded.
Also speaking, Mr. Charles Edike, who represented the Comptroller-General of NCS, Hameed Ali called on the trainees to brace-up for a full-blown military drilling that would bring out the best in them. He also charged the participants to make good use of the knowledge they acquired.
Ali urged the graduands to effectively utilise the knowledge gained for the good of the nation.
He further stated that there had been a very strong synergy between the Customs and the Navy, which had resulted to a lot of seizures around the Zone A on monthly basis.
“There are many creeks on the zone. And even if you line up all the NCS men, they cannot cover all the areas. That is where the Navy comes in handy. They go to the sea and they see those vessels that do not come to port. So, whenever they see them, they contact us,” he said.
The Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, Commodore Abraham Adaji, said the programme was significant for many reasons, adding that discipline was the bedrock of the armed services.
The 62 officials of NCS, who comprised four female and 58 male, were also trained on enforcement of security.