The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has issued a resolute call for Nigeria to assert its position on the global stage in the light of recent diplomatic incident involving the denial of visas to the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa, and other members of the Nigerian delegation.
The Defence Chief and other officials were meant to attend a significant function honoring Nigerian veterans in Canada when they were denied visa by the Canadian High Commission.
Matawalle in a statement from the Ministry of Defence expressed profound disappointment regarding the treatment of the Nigerian delegation, emphasizing that such actions jeopardize 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,” Minister Matawalle declared.
The denial of visa raises significant concerns regarding Canada’s treatment of Nigerian military officials and the overall state of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
While the specific reasons for the visa refusals remain unclear, the incident according to the statement underscores the persistent bureaucratic and political challenges that Nigerian officials encounter in international engagements.
He stressed and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining its dignity and respect in the international arena, urging all stakeholders to work collectively to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at a recent event slammed the Canadian embassy for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and other top military officers.
Ribadu’s comments followed General Musa’s revealation at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), held in Abuja on Thursday, 13th February 2025 that he and his team were invited to Canada for an event honouring war veterans, but half of the delegation was denied visas.
The Cable news reports quoted General Musa who described the incident as “disappointing” but emphasised that it serves as a reminder for Nigeria to “stand strong as a nation” and not be taken for granted.
“Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada. There’s an event to honour our veterans, those that were injured during battles, and we were meant to be there
“We were invited with our team. Half has gone and half has been denied. It’s very disappointing,” he emphasised.
Ribadu commended Musa for speaking out about the incident, saying, “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell.”
He emphasised that despite the disappointment, Nigeria is “peaceful and strong” and must work hard to overcome such challenges.
The incident has also highlighted the importance of Nigeria’s military leadership, with Ribadu praising Musa for providing “purposeful leadership” in the war against insecurity.
He noted that all security agencies are collaborating across many parts of the country to address the challenges facing Nigeria.
This also underscores and highlight the need to build citizen’s confidence in their government and nation and vice versa. A nation so blessed as Nigeria should not high on immigrants list in a lot of the countries but trace based on necessity and the need for their value and services as a nation blessed with great minds and assets to nations of the world.
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