By Abigail Philip David
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has strongly criticized the Canadian government for denying visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other senior military officers.
Speaking on Thursday at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, Ribadu described the visa denial as “disrespectful” and declared that Canada “can go to hell.”
His remarks followed General Musa’s revelation that he and his team had been invited to an event honoring war veterans but faced visa rejections, leaving part of the delegation unable to attend.
“Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada for an event to honor our veterans—those injured in battle. We were invited along with our team, but while half of us got visas, the other half was denied. It’s very disappointing,” Musa stated.
He emphasized that the incident was a wake-up call for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty and not be overly dependent on foreign nations.
Reacting to the development, Ribadu praised the CDS for openly addressing the issue and urged Nigeria to focus on self-reliance.
“Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell,” Ribadu declared.
“Even though it’s painful and disrespectful, we are peaceful, we are strong, and I agree with you—it is time to fix our country. This is yet another reason we must work hard to make Nigeria work,” he added.
