By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has open up to address reports regarding the denial of visas to Nigerian senior officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, although it did not directly mention him.
The High Commission stated it could not comment on the status of individual visa applications for privacy reasons.
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,” it posted in a statement.
The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel to Canada by senior officials.
Recall it was earlier reported that Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, criticised the Canadian embassy for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and other top military officers.
Ribadu’s comments came after Musa disclosed at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), held in Abuja on Thursday, that he and his team were invited to Canada for an event honoring war veterans, but half of the delegation was denied visas.
Musa described the incident as “disappointing,” emphasising that it serves as a reminder for Nigeria to “stand strong as a nation” and not be taken for granted.
“Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada. There’s an event to honour our veterans, those that were injured during battles, and we were meant to be there.
“We were invited with our team. Half has gone and half has been denied. It’s very disappointing,” he emphasised.
Ribadu commended Musa for speaking out about the incident, saying, “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell.
He emphasised that despite the disappointment, Nigeria is “peaceful and strong” and must work hard to overcome such challenges.
Ribadu also praised Musa for providing “purposeful leadership” in the war against insecurity.
He noted that all security agencies are collaborating across many parts of the country to address the challenges facing Nigeria.