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Prince Harry, on a three-day visit to Nigeria to promote his Invictus Games initiative, engaged in a spirited seated volleyball match with army veterans on Saturday.
Most of these veterans had sustained injuries in battles against the country’s Islamist insurgency.
The Duke of Sussex, accompanied by his wife Meghan, arrived in the capital Abuja on Friday.
Their itinerary included a visit to a school for an event on mental health.
Also, Prince Harry met with wounded Nigerian soldiers in the northwest region as part of their trip.
At an officer’s mess complex in Abuja, Prince Harry's team, clad in yellow, participated in an exhibition match against a team led by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, the country’s top military commander.
Amid chants of “Team Harry, Team Harry” during scoring moments, Prince Harry’s team, featuring players seated on foam mats, including some amputees, took an early lead. However, they ultimately lost the match 25-21 to the opposing Team CDS.
Among Prince Harry's teammates was former Nigerian soldier Peacemaker Azuegbulam, who lost his leg in combat in the northeast.
Azuegbulam made history as the first African to win gold at the Invictus Games in Germany last year.
Speaking to AFP before the match, Azuegbulam expressed his pride in hosting Prince Harry in Nigeria and Africa.
Before his visit to Nigeria, Prince Harry marked the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in London on Wednesday.
Speculation regarding a potential reconciliation with his family arose, as with previous visits to the UK since relocating to the United States in 2020.
However, there was no reported meeting with his father, King Charles.
As a former army captain who served as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014.
Over the years, the games have expanded, promoting rehabilitation through sports.
Prince Harry’s visit to Nigeria was at the invitation of Nigeria’s military command.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, commended the experiences of Nigerian troops at the Invictus Games.
On Friday, Prince Harry travelled to Kaduna in Nigeria’s northwest without his wife.
There, he visited a military hospital and engaged in discussions with troops wounded in combat.
