The Federal Government of Nigeria has criticized the Canadian Embassy for denying a visa to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.
The controversy arose when Gen. Musa revealed that he and several senior military officers were denied visas to attend an event in Canada meant to honor war veterans. While some members of the delegation received visas, others were left stranded after their applications were rejected.
Expressing disappointment, Musa described the incident as a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty and avoid being taken for granted by foreign nations.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, condemned Canada’s actions, calling them disrespectful to Nigeria.
“Even without knowing the full facts, I think this is a policy issue. Reciprocity must be considered,” Tunji-Ojo said. “As much as we respect the sovereignty of other nations, the issue of visas and migration management should be handled with mutual respect. Denying the CDS a visa is not just an insult to him personally but to Nigeria as a country.”
He further noted that if the Canadian Embassy had concerns about the applications, diplomatic channels could have been used to resolve them.
Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take the necessary diplomatic steps to address the issue and ensure that such incidents do not undermine the country’s dignity on the global stage.
