Canada’s decision to deny some senior military officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, visas, has continued to generate reactions as the country considers the appropriate diplomatic response to the incident.
Both the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, hinted on Friday that the country could respond “decisively” to the situation.
The military officials had been invited to an event honouring war veterans in Canada. But while some members of the delegation received visas, others were denied entry, causing disappointment and frustration.
General Musa shared his experience at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja on Thursday, expressing his dismay over the visa refusal.
He described the situation as a “wake-up call” for Nigeria and urged the nation to strengthen its sovereignty and stand firm on its own.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, supported the Chief of Defence Staff.
Ribadu condemned Canada’s action, calling the visa denial “disrespectful” and adding that “Canada can go to hell.”
Reacting, the Canadian High Commission on Friday acknowledged media reports on the visa denials but refrained from commenting on the specifics of the visa applications.
The commission confirmed its awareness of the situation but reiterated that it could not disclose details about the status of individual visa applications.
“The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel by senior officials. However, for privacy reasons, we are unable to comment on the status of visa applications of specific individuals,” the statement read.
However, sources within the government have expressed frustration over the incident, which has escalated into a diplomatic issue.
The Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo, expressed strong disapproval of the embassy’s action, calling it disrespectful not only to General Musa but to Nigeria as a whole.
Tunji-Ojo suggested that Nigeria would consider reciprocal measures in light of the treatment of its highest-ranking military officer.
He emphasised that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take steps to address the situation and ensure that diplomatic relations were upheld.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Friday, Tunji-Ojo described the embassy’s decision as a sign of disrespect for Nigeria.
The minister said, “Without knowing the full facts, I believe that reciprocity must be considered in such matters. While we respect the sovereignty of other nations, the issue of visas and migration management should be approached with fairness.
“Denying a visa to the Chief of Defence Staff is not just disrespectful to him personally, but to Nigeria as a whole. If this can happen to a high-ranking official, then one must wonder about the fate of the average Nigerian.”
On his part, the Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle, asked Nigeria to assert its position on the global stage.
A statement on Friday said Matawalle expressed “profound disappointment” regarding the treatment of the delegation, emphasising that such actions could jeopardise the bilateral relations between Nigeria and Canada.
“This incident is not merely a bureaucratic oversight; it is a serious affront to our national dignity and integrity. We cannot allow our country to be treated with such disregard and levity on the international stage,” he stated.
He called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the reasons behind the visa denial, asserting that Nigeria must respond decisively to uphold its reputation as a key player in global affairs.
“We must not remain passive in the face of such disrespect. It is imperative that the Nigerian government takes a firm diplomatic stance. If no satisfactory explanation is provided, we must be prepared to respond appropriately and assertively,” Matawalle said.
The minister said the visa denial raised significant concerns regarding Canada’s treatment of Nigerian military officials and the overall state of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
A senior official in the Nigerian Immigration Service who spoke on condition of anonymity warned that if the Canadian embassy did not address the matter appropriately, Nigeria might take action by turning away Canadian nationals at its borders.
He said, “It was a minor issue before, but it has now become a major one. When high-ranking officials like the CDS need to travel, their protocol officers typically obtain a Note Verbale and submit it to the embassy along with their passports. However, certain individuals in urgent situations may not require it.
“For someone of the calibre of the Chief of Defence Staff to apply for a visa without a Note Verbale, the appropriate action for the Canadian embassy should have been to verify his identity with the relevant authorities. Denying the CDS a visa is insulting.”
The source likened the potential response to a similar action taken earlier this year when Nigeria retaliated against South Africa by turning back a South African airline that was carrying dignitaries.
The official said, “If the Canadian embassy does not handle this situation properly, the response will be significant. Nigeria may also start turning back Canadian nationals entering the country. This is similar to what we did with South Africa a few months ago when they turned back a large number of Nigerians.
“In response, a South African airline carrying dignitaries was turned back at the Lagos airport, prompting the immediate intervention of the South African president. The Canadian embassy should be cautious.”
A top source at the Defence Headquarters said the Canadian embassy did not reveal why it denied visas to the CDS and other senior officers.
The source stated that the CDS was attending the Invictus Programme in Canada.
The source said, “You should be asking the embassy why they denied a whole CDS a visa. Do not forget he is also the chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Africa. That is very bad. They were never told why their visas were denied; they were simply informed at the embassy that their applications were rejected. The CDS and other officials were not going for a jamboree.
“They were going there for the Invictus programme. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, came to Nigeria in 2024 to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded. They sent a representative two weeks ago when the groundbreaking ceremony for the Invictus Centre was held in Abuja.
“So, it is a renowned international event. It is not as if the CDS would run away if granted a visa. The most surprising thing is that the first contingent, which included the Director of Defence Information, is presently in Canada. It is a national embarrassment.”
Retired diplomats have also weighed in, with some pointing to Nigeria’s lack of senior representation in embassies as a contributing factor to the incident.
An ex-diplomat to Algeria, Mohammed Mabdul, stated that the absence of ambassadors in Nigerian embassies, including in Canada, had weakened the country’s diplomatic presence.
Mabdul said, “All our embassies don’t have ambassadors. We only have charge d’affaires. If there was an ambassador in Canada, the matter would have been related to him and he or she would take it up.”
He further argued that the delay was one of the major reasons for the recent diplomatic challenges.
“The embarrassment is because we have no senior representation in our embassies abroad.
“So, it has downgraded our relations with most of the countries. They don’t take us seriously and it will affect our activities.”
A retired ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, noted that the situation was reminiscent of an incident in the 2000s when General Yakubu Gowon, a former military leader, faced similar treatment from the Canadian authorities.
Amedu-Ode said, “At that time, the late Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, who was serving as Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, had to summon representatives from Visa Facilitation Services, which processes Canadian visas, to express Nigeria’s dissatisfaction over the treatment of its citizens.”
He emphasised that diplomatic matters should be addressed by the appropriate governmental body to ensure proper protocol was followed.
However, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi, said the Canadian embassy could have denied the Chief of Defence Staff, and other top military officers visas on grounds of anti-democratic actions.
Speaking to Newsmen on Friday, Farounbi, said Canada had stated many times that top military officers usually abridged human rights.
“There are many reasons why a country can deny its visa to other citizens particularly when they are high-ranking officers,” the ex-diplomat said.
“Canada has always explained that where high-ranking officers appear to be anti-democratic or have offended civil human rights, it has a tendency to deny such people its visa. In this particular case, we don’t know why they have done so.”
The octogenarian stated the matter ought to be addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said Nigerian generals must realise that “there is a level of civility or respect expected in bilateral relations.”
The former ambassador said every sovereign country had the right to safeguard its territory, including regulating those who gained access to its territorial boundaries.
Farounbi also cautioned the NSA for saying Canada “can go to hell.”
He said, “I believe that given the fact that Nigeria is a very bi-industrial, open-work organisation and it has existed in bilateral relations for a long time, it would have been better if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been used to solve this problem.
“It was absolutely inappropriate. Nigeria is another sovereign nation. In dealing with a nation in which you have peaceful, diplomatic, and bilateral relations, I think it was inappropriate.”
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, said the visa denial could stem from allegations of corruption or human rights abuses involving Nigerian military officers.
He noted that many public officers, including military leaders, had faced visa restrictions due to such concerns.
Falana said, “With respect to the ban on military chiefs, it has to do with human rights abuse. Either for invading communities or reckless killing of civilians without accountability.
“So, it is a challenge to the government to respect the rights of Nigerians and fix our country. Another ground that they use is that some conferences do not require the attendance of top military chiefs and government officials.”
While acknowledging Canada’s historical support for Nigeria, Falana stressed the importance of addressing human rights issues to avoid future diplomatic friction.
“More than any country, Canada stood by Nigeria during the struggle against the military. Under Abacha, it had to withdraw its ambassador and close down the commission in Canada.
“Even now, Canada has continued to receive more Nigerian professionals than other countries in their Japa business.”
A senior government official, who asked not to be quoted, said Canada might have also rejected half of the delegation because of the number.
He said, “Why is nobody asking the number of people who applied for the visa? You know how government officials use these trips to take their girlfriends abroad. They put many people in their entourage, even people who should not be there. It is possible that the number of people going for the trip is a lot, and the consular officer, who may just be a low-level worker, decided to cut the number by 50 per cent. It is not every event that should require the presence of the CDS; he could have sent a representative.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, would speak on it at the appropriate time.
The NSA, Ribadu, declined further comment on the matter, insisting that the treatment of the country was unfair.
