In a landmark gesture of social responsibility, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Tuesday, commissioned a newly constructed school and a primary healthcare centre in Sagbokoji, a riverine community in Lagos State. The projects, executed under the Nigeria Customs Service’s flagship ‘Customs Cares’ initiative, mark a significant step in bridging the development gap in underserved communities.
The unveiling ceremony was met with jubilation by residents, traditional leaders, and local stakeholders who turned out in large numbers to witness what many described as a life-changing intervention. For decades, the Sagbokoji community had grappled with a lack of access to quality education and healthcare — two critical pillars of human development.
Speaking during the commissioning, CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to community development, beyond its core mandate of revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations. He stated that Customs Cares was designed to bring the presence of government closer to neglected populations through meaningful, people-focused projects.
“This school and health centre are not mere buildings. They represent hope, equity, and the belief that no Nigerian community should be left behind,” Adeniyi declared. He noted that Sagbokoji was deliberately chosen due to its strategic location and long-standing infrastructural neglect, promising that more communities across the country will benefit from similar interventions.
The newly built school comprises well-equipped classrooms, learning materials, and sanitation facilities, while the health centre boasts a maternity wing, consultation rooms, and essential medical supplies. Both facilities are expected to serve not just Sagbokoji, but neighbouring riverine settlements as well.
Local leaders lauded the gesture, describing it as the first time a federal agency had delivered such impactful infrastructure directly to their doorstep. The Baale of Sagbokoji, in an emotional address, thanked the NCS and pleaded for continued government presence to sustain the momentum of development.
Residents, particularly women and children, expressed optimism that the facilities would reduce the burden of travelling long distances for medical care and education. “We used to take boats to Apapa or Badagry just for small treatment. Now, help has come home,” said Mrs. Olaitan Adeyemo, a community health volunteer.
The Customs Cares programme has increasingly become a hallmark of the current NCS leadership, with projects launched across education, healthcare, and humanitarian support sectors in several parts of the country.
As CGC Adeniyi continues to redefine the image of the Nigeria Customs Service with a people-centred approach, observers say initiatives like this could significantly enhance trust and collaboration between citizens and government institutions — a much-needed currency in Nigeria’s development narrative.
