The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has vowed that Nigeria will respond strongly if Canada fails to resolve the issue surrounding its refusal to grant visas to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa.
The warning was issued in an official release signed by Iyogun Sunday, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence.
Matawalle expressed deep disappointment and concern over the treatment of the Nigerian delegation, which was en route to Canada for a significant event honouring Nigerian war veterans.
The delegation was denied visas, a move that Matawalle described as “an affront to our national dignity and integrity.”
“We cannot allow our country to be disrespected in this way on the global stage,” Matawalle remarked. “This is not a mere bureaucratic mistake; it is a deliberate act that threatens the diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Canada.”
The minister called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the reasons for the visa denial, asserting that Nigeria must respond firmly to protect its standing in international affairs. “We cannot afford to be passive in the face of such disrespect. The Nigerian government must take a strong diplomatic position. If we do not receive a satisfactory explanation, we must be prepared to take appropriate and assertive action,” he declared.
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had earlier criticised the Canadian embassy for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and other top military officers.
Ribadu’s remarks followed an address by Musa at the inaugural annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja.
Musa revealed that his team had been invited to Canada for a ceremony honouring war veterans, but half of the delegation was denied visas.
