The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has strongly criticized the Canadian Embassy for denying a visa to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, calling it an act of disrespect toward the country.
The controversy arose after General Musa disclosed that he and several senior military officers were denied visas to attend an event in Canada honoring war veterans. While some members of the Nigerian delegation received approvals, others were left stranded without explanation.
Expressing disappointment, Musa described the incident as a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to reinforce its sovereignty and avoid being taken for granted by foreign nations.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Minister Tunji-Ojo condemned the action, stating that visa policies should be handled with mutual respect and diplomatic consideration.
“Without knowing the full facts, I think even for us, the issue of reciprocity has to be given due consideration,” he said. “As much as we are not ready to interfere with the sovereignty of other nations, migration management and visa policies must be treated with respect. Denying a visa to the Chief of Defence Staff is not just disrespectful to him, but to Nigeria as a whole. If this can happen to the CDS, then I worry for the average Nigerian.”
The minister noted that even if the embassy had concerns regarding the visa applications, there were diplomatic channels through which such matters could have been addressed. He expressed confidence that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take the necessary steps to resolve the issue and uphold Nigeria’s dignity on the global stage.
