In a shocking display of diplomatic insensitivity, the Canadian government has sparked outrage by denying a visa to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. This unprecedented move has been widely condemned as a “gross disrespect” to Nigeria’s sovereignty and a blatant disregard for diplomatic protocol. The denial has raised serious questions about Canada’s commitment to fostering positive relations with African nations and has left many wondering what prompted this stunning rebuke.

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has strongly condemned the Canadian Embassy for denying a visa to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.

During the inaugural annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies on Thursday, General Musa disclosed that he and several members of his team were refused visas to attend a Canadian event honoring war veterans.

Discussing on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Tunji-Ojo denounced the embassy’s decision as disrespectful to Nigeria. He questioned how ordinary Nigerians would be treated if even the nation’s top military officer experienced such disregard.

He said, “Without knowing the full facts, I think even for us it is a policy, the issue of reciprocity, as I always say, has to be given due consideration. 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 issue.

“As much as we don’t want to dabble into that, it is not a disrespect to the chief of defence staff, to me, without knowing the facts, it is disrespectful to the country, and it is disrespectful to us as a people. If that can happen to the chief of defence staff, then I am worried for an average Nigerian. “

The minister expressed his inability to justify Canada’s decision, emphasizing that any concerns the embassy had could have been resolved through diplomatic channels. He guaranteed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take the necessary steps to address the issue and preserve mutual respect between the two nations.

Meanwhile, at the same event where General Musa recounted his experience, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu also condemned Canada’s actions, voicing his frustration.

Ribadu declared, “Canada can go to hell,” adding that this only reinforces the need for our leaders to work towards making Nigeria a better country.