In a developing diplomatic spat, the Canada High Commission in Nigeria addresses the recent visa denial of Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and other senior military officials.
The officials were set to attend a significant event in Canada honouring veterans but faced unexpected visa rejections.
During a lecture at the inaugural National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja, General Musa expressed his disappointment. “Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada for an event to honour our veterans, those that were injured during battles,” he stated, highlighting the importance of the occasion.
The visa denial has sparked outrage among Nigerian officials.
National Security Adviser , Nuhu Ribadu did not hold back, declaring, “They can go to hell” in response to Canada’s decision.
The Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo echoed this sentiment, labelling the denial as a blatant disrespect to Nigeria.
In light of the controversy, the Canada High Commission on Friday issued a statement via its X handle, clarifying its position. “The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel to Canada by senior officials. However, for privacy reasons, we are unable to provide any comment on the status of visa applications of specific individuals,” the statement read.
