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Military Plans Invictus Centre To Aid Wounded Soldiers’ Recovery
The Defence Headquarters has unveiled plans for the construction of the state-of-the-art Invictus Centre to facilitate complete recovery and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and veterans of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The unveiling was done at a reception in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, who are on private visit to Nigeria on the invitation of the Chief of Defence Staff in Abuja on Saturday.
The centre is expected to be equipped with world class facilities that would aid recovery of the wounded soldiers and offered them post traumatic stress remedies as a result of trauma they might have experienced during operations.
In his remarks, Prince Harry said the invictus community was privileged to have Nigeria become the first African country to join it, saying the plans for the new invictus centre made him become emotional.
He commended the Nigerian government for its support for the construction of the centre to support the servicemen and women in their path to rehabilitation and recovery and in acknowledgement of their sacrifices.
“Our hope is that the warmth and hospitality that has been so graciously offered to us will then be extended through admiration and respect for the service members of their families long after we’re gone.
“As some of you know, when one person serves, the whole family serves and we cannot leave families behind in the healing journey”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had in 2023 said it would eradicate NTDs in the country by 2027.
The Director of the WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme, Dr Ibrahima Fall, said, “With a renewed focus on strategic priorities addressing advocacy for action, partnership, costing and accelerated implementation, technical gaps including research and development and leadership.
“We must intensify our collective action to address the deep-rooted inequalities that fuel the transmission of NTDs in the populations where they persist.” one person’s trauma affects those around them, the healing of that one person can affect and improve the entire community.
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru, thanked the Duke and Duchess for establishing the invictus game and their concern for wounded heroes.
Badaru said the support had given them the courage to continue to work and to continue to support the wounded, adding that the government would do its best to make them happy.
“I want to reiterate the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian government to the wealth of our wounded and injured soldiers.
“We are dedicated to the recovery and rehabilitation in this pursuit and we are eager to collaborate closely with the Invictus Game foundation to extend its vision to all formations within the armed forces of Nigeria.
“The Ministry of Defence understands ongoing sacrifices made by our soldiers in numerous operations against advisors.
“We want to assure them that the government has a recourse program in place to support their recovery in the event of injury,” he said.
The Minister said the country was ready to host the Invictus games, saying the government was enthusiastic about continuing discussion to determine the possibility and necessary modalities.
He gave assurance that the construction of the state of the art invictus center would be completed expeditiously.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, represented by the Chief of Administration, Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said the Nigerian Army had had a fair share of the number of wounded troops.
Lagbaja said the army had participated in many internal situations operations, as well as peace support operations and peacekeeping missions at home and abroad that had left many personnel either wounded, injured, sick and incapacitated.
He said the army had through the support of the government and the people of Nigeria, ensured continued medical and social psychosocial support both at home and abroad for its wounded service men and women.
According to him, he has approved the sum of N88 million to procure limb protestors for one of the wounded soldiers to be able to upgrade his games.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.