The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up its campaign against breast cancer with a sensitisation programme aimed at promoting early detection, regular screening and prevention among officers and stakeholders.
The programme, held on October 6, 2026, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, was organised as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month and had the theme, “Inspect, Detect, Protect.”
The event brought together Customs officers, medical professionals and partners to raise awareness about breast cancer and encourage timely medical intervention.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Information and Communication Technology and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said cancer should not be seen as a stigma or a death sentence.
Adebakin urged officers to pay greater attention to their health, stressing that education and sensitisation remained critical to early detection and effective management of the disease.
“Cancer isn’t a stigma. It is a time to give attention to those affected and give them hope again. Together, we can build a healthier society, a healthier Service, and healthier communities,” she said.
The President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, who was the Special Guest of Honour and keynote speaker, urged officers, particularly women, to prioritise their health through regular self-examination and prompt medical attention.
She observed that women often prioritised the wellbeing of their families while neglecting their own health, stressing that early detection could improve outcomes.
“Fellow officers, you must be alive before you get promoted. Check on yourself,” Adeniyi said.
She also reminded male officers that breast cancer could affect men, urging them to support women in their families and communities.
The Project Manager of the BOYA Project, Fauziya Abubakar, said the initiative had promoted breast cancer awareness within the NCS for three years.
She called for sustained sensitisation and regular screening, noting that early detection remained crucial in the fight against the disease.
A major highlight of the programme was a ₦50 million pledge by the Managing Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Dr Jummai Umar-Ajijola, to support the fight against breast cancer.
Umar-Ajijola encouraged participants to apply the same vigilance they bring to Customs operations to their personal health.
“When you are not sure, always ask and always check. No one has to fight this alone,” she said.
The programme featured a health talk, medical session, survivor testimony and question-and-answer session, before ending with free breast cancer screening for officers and other participants.
The screening component provided a practical follow-up to the awareness campaign, reinforcing the message of early detection and preventive healthcare.
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