Nuhu Ribadu faults Canadian Embassy over visa ban on Chief of Defense, others

Canadian Embassy in Nigeria has denied the country’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, and some other senior military officers visas for an official engagement.

Speaking, Thursday at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja, National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, expressed his displeasure, stating that Canada “can go to hell.”

The CDS had earlier shared his frustration over the incident, revealing that he and his team were invited to an event honoring war veterans in Canada but were denied visas.

He said, “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,” Musa said.

“We were invited with our team. Half has gone and half has been denied. It’s very disappointing. This is a clear reminder that we must stand strong as a nation and should no longer be taken for granted.”

Reacting to the situation, Ribadu did not hold back his criticism, calling the visa denial an act of disrespect.

“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 and strong. I agree with you—it is time to fix our country. Yet, this is another reason we must work hard to make Nigeria work.”

He also commended the CDS for his leadership in combating insecurity, emphasizing that all security agencies are now working together across various regions of the country.