The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has condemned the recent denial of visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other senior military officials who were en route to an event honouring Nigerian veterans in Canada.
Expressing deep disappointment, Matawalle described the incident as an affront to Nigeria’s dignity and a potential threat to diplomatic relations between both nations.
“This is not just a bureaucratic oversight; it is a serious insult to our national integrity. Nigeria cannot and will not tolerate such treatment on the international stage,” he declared.
The Minister called for an immediate investigation into the reasons behind the visa denial and demanded a firm diplomatic response from the Nigerian government.
“If no satisfactory explanation is provided, Nigeria must be ready to take decisive action to protect its global reputation and assert its position,” Matawalle warned.
The visa refusal has raised serious concerns about Canada’s treatment of Nigerian military officials and the state of bilateral relations.
Matawalle reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to upholding its dignity on the world stage and urged all stakeholders to work together to prevent future occurrences of such disrespect.
