The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has described as ‘painful’ and ‘disrespectful’ the Canadian government’s decision to deny visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other top military officers.
Visibly angry over the visa snub, Ribadu declared in Abuja on Thursday that Canada “can go to hell”.
To guard against such humiliation in future, the NSA said the time has come for Nigeria to focus on building its own strength rather than seeking validation from foreign nations.
Speaking at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (NAISS), Ribadu lauded the CDS for addressing the visa saga publicly, saying; “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell.”
He further said; “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.”
Ribadu’s reaction was against the backdrop of General Musa’s narration that he and some senior military officers were denied entry into Canada for an official engagement.
According to the CDS, the delegation had been invited to an event honouring war veterans but was left in limbo after the High Commission denied visas to some of its members.
However, he explained that; “Every disappointment is a blessing. 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”.
The CDS described the move as a wake-up call for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty, stressing further that; “This is a reminder that we must stand on our own, stand strong as a nation, and refuse to be taken for granted”.
