The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has criticised the Canadian embassy for denying the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, and other top military officers visas.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), Ribadu, who did not hide his displeasure over the development, described it as disrespectful and painful.
His comments came in response to Musa’s revelation that he and other top military officials had been scheduled to attend an official event in Canada on Wednesday but were denied entry.
Musa explained that the event was organised to honour war veterans, describing the visa refusal as a stark reminder of the need for Nigeria to assert itself on the global stage.
“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,” he said.
“We were invited with our team. Half has gone and half has been denied. It’s very disappointing.”
