Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, has described the visa denial of Nigerian military leaders by the Canadian authorities as a “serious affront” to the country’s dignity and integrity.
Okay.ng recalls that Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA), during an event in Abuja on Thursday, criticized the Canadian High Commission for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Christopher Musa and other senior military officials.
The officers were scheduled to attend an event in Canada organized to honour war veterans, but their visa applications were rejected.
The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria reacting to the situation declined to comment, stating that it would not discuss visa-related matters publicly.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Sunday Iyogun, spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence, Matawalle strongly condemned the Canadian authorities for the treatment of the Nigerian delegation.
“This incident is not merely a bureaucratic oversight; it is a serious affront to our national dignity and integrity,” he said.
The minister insisted that Nigeria must not remain passive, calling for an investigation into the reasons behind the visa denial.
“If no satisfactory explanation is provided, we must be prepared to respond appropriately and assertively.”
