The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has strongly criticized the Canadian embassy for refusing to grant visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other top military officers, describing the act as a show of disrespect to the country.
Speaking on Friday as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Tunji-Ojo expressed concern over the embassy’s decision, which he said raises questions about how ordinary Nigerians are treated in visa application processes.
“If that can happen to the Chief of Defence Staff, then I am worried for an average Nigerian,” he said.
General Musa had earlier revealed at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies on Thursday that he and members of his delegation were denied visas to attend an event in Canada honoring war veterans.
Reacting further, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for diplomatic engagement to address the situation, stating, “As much as we are not ready to dabble into the sovereignty of other nations, the issue of visas and migration management is a sovereign matter. However, this is beyond an individual—it is about the dignity of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, also condemned the Canadian embassy’s actions, calling them “disrespectful and painful.”
In a strongly worded remark, Ribadu said, “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell.”
While acknowledging the incident as a slight, Ribadu maintained that Nigeria must work toward strengthening its internal systems.
“Even though it’s painful, it’s disrespectful, but we are peaceful and strong. And I agree with you that it is time to fix our country. Yet, this is another reason we work hard to make Nigeria work,” he stated.
