To spend 3 days in Nigeria
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will land in Nigeria today, Friday, for a 3-day private visit.
Harry and Meghan are visiting Nigeria on the invitation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, to interact with wounded soldiers.
Director Sports, Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Air Vice Marshal Abidemi Marquis, who made this known on Wednesday, said that Harry, the founder of Invictus Games, will spend three days in Nigeria, interacting with wounded soldiers and their families.
The DHQ Sports Director noted that the visit, slated from 10th to 13th May 2024, will help the wounded soldiers in their recovery efforts.
We realised that 80% of our soldiers have been involved in this recovery programme, they are getting better. Their outlook to life is positive, AVM Marquis said.
He added that the visit will help their injured troops in their recovery to improve their personal self-esteem to improve their mental health. Their emotional intelligence has been improved and also their families seeing them, as they used to be breadwinners who are capable of continuing living. So this engagement with Invictus is giving us the opportunity for the recovery for our soldiers.
So, to be specific, now, they will be arriving here tomorrow (today) and they will be received, and the reception will be a quiet reception because they will be traveling 14 hours to get to this place. They will be taken to the hotel, AVM Marquis added.
He said after resting at the hotel, the couple will return to visit the Chief of Defence Staff by 12 noon today.
The Director added that Prince Harry and wife would visit their own Wuse Light Academy, an institution supported by their non-governmental organisation before seeing Nigerias security chief.
Subsequently, they will proceed to Kaduna State to visit the Nigerian Army 44 Reference Hospital, where the wounded and injured soldiers are kept for their medical recovery.
On Sunday, AVM Marquis said the couple will pay a courtesy visit on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and also visit a basketball court for the school their NGO is supporting in Lagos, where a basketball exhibition match will be held.
A reception is also expected to be organised for the couple on Sunday before returning to Abuja in preparation for their departure from the country on Monday.
