Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has strongly criticized the Canadian government for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other top military officers.
Speaking at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, Ribadu condemned the decision as “disrespectful” and declared that Canada “can go to hell.”
His remarks followed General Musa’s revelation that he and his team had been invited to an event honoring war veterans but were left in limbo when the Canadian embassy denied visas to some members of the delegation.
“Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada for an event to honor our veterans—those injured in battle. We were invited along with our team, but while half of us got visas, the other half was denied. It’s very disappointing,” Musa stated.
He described the incident as a wake-up call for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty and become self-reliant.
Reacting to Musa’s statement, Ribadu said, “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell. 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.”
The visa denial has sparked diplomatic discussions, with some analysts questioning Canada’s decision and others urging Nigeria to improve its global diplomatic standing.
