Olusegun Ariyo
As reactions continue to trail the Canada visa snub for the Chief of Defence Staff, the Defence Headquarters has urged Nigerians to disregard what it called ‘malicious allegations’ and to throw their weight behind the armed forces in a bid to promote national security and the welfare of servicemen and women in the country.
A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, made available to journalists on Monday, slammed those spreading false allegations regarding the Nigerian military’s request for visas to attend the Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
The statement admonished Nigerians to always seek and obtain adequate information regarding developments before rushing to media platforms, adding that the Defence Headquarters had earlier received an invitation to attend the Invictus Games with its team, which comprised three officers and 21 players, including the team’s physiotherapist.
Gusau said it was the Invictus Games Foundation that catered for the team’s accommodation and feeding needs, along with those of other participating nations, not the Nigerian government as falsely portrayed.
“However, despite our best efforts, only 14 members of the team, excluding the team leader, captain, and physiotherapist, were granted visas.
“Regrettably, seven of our athletes who had the potential to excel were denied visas, preventing them from participating in the games.
“Notwithstanding this setback, our team’s outstanding performance earned Nigeria gold, silver, and bronze medals, proudly placing our nation and Africa on the global map of the Invictus Games.
“Furthermore, the participation of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, would have added mental strength to our troops.
“It is on record that the Chief of Defence Staff has initiated laudable efforts to boost the morale of our service personnel, who risk their lives to protect our nation and its people.”
