Interior Minister Slams Canada for Rejecting CDS Visa

The Canadian Embassy’s decision to refuse Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, a visa has been denounced by Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to reports, General Musa made the denial public during the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies’ first annual lecture in Abuja.
He said that his crew and he were denied permits to travel to Canada to attend a veterans’ event.

Speaking Friday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Tunji-Ojo denounced the embassy’s actions as an affront to Nigerian sovereignty.
Without knowing all the details, he said, “I believe that even for us, it is a policy; as I always say, the issue of reciprocity has to be given due consideration.” The subject of visas and migration management are sovereign matters, even though we are not prepared to intrude on other countries’ sovereignty.

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As much as we would like to avoid becoming involved, I believe that without knowing the facts, it is disrespectful to the nation and to us as a people, even though it is not disrespectful to the chief of defense staff. I’m concerned for the typical Nigerian if it can happen to the chief of defense staff.

The Minister stated that he is having difficulty finding an explanation for Canada’s move, pointing out that even if the embassy had questions, they could have been asked through diplomatic channels.

He expressed his confidence that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the required actions to guarantee that the two countries respect one another and find a diplomatic solution to the problem.