Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on Thursday slammed the Canadian government over its decision to deny visas to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other top military officers.
Ribadu, who spoke at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, described the visa snub as “disrespectful” and declared that Canada “can go to hell.”
Ribadu’s reaction followed General Musa’s narration on how he and some senior military officers were denied entry into Canada for an official engagement.
The CDS explained that the delegation had been invited to an event honouring war veterans but was left in limbo after the embassy denied visas to some of its members.
“Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada for an event to honour our veterans—those injured in battle. We were invited along with our team. But while half of us got visas, the other half was denied. It’s very disappointing,” Musa said.
He described the move as a wake-up call for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty.
“This is a reminder that we must stand on our own, stand strong as a nation, and refuse to be taken for granted,” he added.
Reacting to the development, Ribadu commended the CDS for publicly addressing the issue, insisting that Nigeria must focus on building its own strength rather than seeking validation from foreign nations.
“Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell,” Ribadu declared.
“Even though it’s painful and disrespectful, we are peaceful, we are strong, and I agree with you—it is time to fix our country. This is yet another reason we must work hard to make Nigeria work.”
