National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has slammed the Canadian embassy for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and other top military officers.
Ribadu’s comments came after Musa revealed at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), held in Abuja on Thursday, that he and his team were invited to Canada for an event honouring war veterans, but half of the delegation was denied visas, TheCable reports.
Musa 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 emphasized 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.
