The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has stated that the denial of a visa to the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, by the Canadian High Commission was disrespectful to Nigeria and Nigerians.
Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television, on Friday, Tunji-Ojo expressed his concerns over the incident.
“As much as we are not ready to interfere in the sovereignty of other nations, the issue of visas and migration management is a sovereign matter and the right of every nation.
“As much as we do not want to interfere in that, I believe it is not just disrespectful to the Chief of Defence Staff. Without knowing the full facts, I consider it disrespectful to the country and to us as a people.
If this can happen to the Chief of Defence Staff, then I am worried for the average Nigerian,” Tunji-Ojo said.
His comments came in response to remarks made by the CDS, who had revealed that he and other top military officers were scheduled to travel to Canada for an official assignment on Wednesday but were denied visas.
Musa described the visa denial as a reminder that Nigeria must “stand on its own, stand strong as a nation, and ensure it is no longer taken for granted.”
During the interview, the minister said he found it difficult to justify Canada’s actions, adding that diplomatic channels could have been used to address any concerns.
Tunji-Ojo also questioned how ordinary Nigerians are treated by the High Commission if a high-ranking government official such as the CDS could be subjected to such treatment.
“Without knowing the full facts, I believe that even for us in terms of visa policy, the issue of reciprocity, as I always say, must be given due consideration,” he said.
The minister, however, expressed confidence that Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, would resolve the matter diplomatically and ensure mutual respect between both nations.
On Thursday, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, expressed his displeasure over the incident.
Ribadu went further to condemn the North American country, stating that Canada could “go to hell.”
He also commended the CDS for speaking up about the incident and praised him for providing “purposeful leadership” in the fight against insecurity.