The prompt intervention of medical personnel from Ports Health Services (PHS) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,, saved the life of a 68 year old passenger on Friday morning.
The woman passenger, identities withheld, African Business Travel News ( ABTN) learnt collapsed out of exhaustion while her luggage was been screened by an operative of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) attached to D Arrival hall of the Lagos Airport.
The passenger who arrived the country in the early hours of Friday aboard a West Coast flight from Abidjan, eye witness’s account alleged, was particularly subjected to serious screening by the NCS official.
The passenger who hailed from South West region of the country, had on her a United States of America (USA) passport.
Our correspondent who was at the airport shortly after the incident happened, reported that the aged woman collapsed while she was offloading, emptying and repacking the contents of about five big baggage she brought in, as directed by the custom official.
The daughter of the aged woman who was been congratulated by other passengers and airport users, told our correspondent that her mother had arrived at the country through the Lagos airport with the aim of settling down in Nigeria after many years of sojourning abroad.
She alleged that the official of Nigeria Custom Service actually wanted her mother dead by subjecting an old woman who had travelled a long distance in the air, to off load five heavy bags without allowing anyone, even her daughter to assist her.
“I suspected that that custom officer wanted my mother dead for no reason. My mother had pleaded with him to allow me come in and assist her so that she could rest while the screening was going on, but the custom official rejected her plea.
“He insisted that since my mother is the passenger, she must offload and bring out everything in the five bags for him to assess.
“My mother pleaded with him that apart from not sleeping throughout the duration of the flight, she is hypertensive. But this custom officer didn’t accept; until my mother fell down while carrying the second bag from the trolley.
“At that time I had no option than to forced myself in, and joined at reviving her, I started calling her as we poured water on her before medical people rushed in and took over.
“I am happy that the medical people were responsive and arrived promptly at the scene with the right medical equipment and expertise. They were able to revive her after about three minutes of serious battle.
“From the arrival hall, she was moved n a stretcher to their clinic, where she fully regained her consciousness and further medical attention.
“I just thank God that they were able to revive my mother and discharged her; because I couldn’t imagine what would have happened to me,” the elated lady said.
However, attempt to contact the spokesperson of Murtala Muhammed Airport Command, Nigeria Custom Service for his comment on the incident proved abortive as calls made to his number were not going through.
