Nigerian Officials Condemn Canada’s Visa Denial to Military Leaders
The Federal Government and former diplomats have condemned Canada’s decision to deny visas to top Nigerian military officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other senior officers. The controversy arose after Gen. Musa revealed that several high-ranking officials were barred from attending a Canadian event honoring war veterans, leaving some delegation members stranded.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu expressed outrage at the development during the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja on Thursday. Ribadu described the visa denial as “disrespectful” and declared, “Canada can go to hell.” He applauded Musa for addressing the issue publicly and emphasized the need for Nigeria to strengthen its internal capacity.
“Even though it’s painful and disrespectful, we are peaceful, we are strong, and I agree with you—it is time to fix our country. This is yet another reason we must work hard to make Nigeria work,” Ribadu stated.
Gen. Musa called the incident a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to stand firm against being taken for granted by foreign nations. “This is a reminder that we must stand on our own, stand strong as a nation, and refuse to be taken for granted,” he urged.
An official from the Canadian High Commission, speaking anonymously, indicated that an official response would be provided on Friday.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie, criticized the visa denial as inconceivable and proposed a reciprocal delay in processing Canadian visa applications. He also recommended summoning the Canadian High Commissioner for an explanation.
“High officials of the rank of the CDS, COAS, and Service Chiefs should normally hold diplomatic passports. Application for visas of such top officials should be routed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and forwarded with a Note Verbale,” Akinkuolie explained. “If such a denial occurs, the Nigerian mission in Canada should delay all diplomatic, official, and private applications of Canadians visiting Nigeria as a reciprocal measure.”
Ambassador Akinkuolie also emphasized the importance of limiting delegations to official personnel to avoid unnecessary complications.
Similarly, retired Ambassador to Algeria, Amb. Mohammed Mabdul, described the visa denial as “highly undiplomatic” and urged the Canadian High Commission to reconsider. “The issue of security should not be taken for granted,” Mabdul warned, stressing that diplomatic relations should not be jeopardized by such actions.
However, former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, criticized Ribadu’s language, calling it undiplomatic.
“I don’t think the NSA handled the matter in the best possible way, and the language used cannot be considered diplomatic,” Farounbi said. He suggested that the issue should have been referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Every sovereign nation has the right to grant or deny visas to any applicant. Considering the bilateral relationship, the matter could have been addressed through diplomatic channels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the best agency for handling such matters, and they would have used appropriate language,” he added.
Farounbi further warned against ministries and agencies taking on roles that fall under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“There are instances where top officials visit foreign countries without informing the Nigerian Embassy in those countries. This is not how such matters should be handled,” he said.
As diplomatic tensions rise, all eyes are on Canada’s official response and any potential actions Nigeria may take to address the issue.
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