Why the Canadian Embassy denied visas to CDS and other top military officials

On Thursday 13 February, 2025, The Nigerian chief of Defence staff, General Christopher Musa and other top military officials were denied visa.

The Canadian Embassy reportedly denied visas to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other top military officials due to a diplomatic oversight.

The military officers’ Canadian visa applications were incomplete, lacking the required Note Verbale (diplomatic note) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A diplomatic source revealed that desk officers mishandled visa applications for high-ranking military officials traveling to Canada, failing to follow protocol by omitting a Note Verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The source emphasized the importance of the Note Verbale in confirming the legitimacy of such trips and ensuring no security implications. The Federal Government is currently working with the Canadian Embassy to rectify the situation, assuring that there are no diplomatic issues with Canada.

Reaction from Nigeria’s National Security Adviser

Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, has criticized the Canadian High Commission in Abuja for reportedly denying visas to Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, and other senior military officers.

He spoke following Gen. Musa’s comment on the development.

Gen. Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, revealed on Thursday at the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies’ inaugural annual lecture that the Canadian embassy denied him and some of his team visas to attend an event honoring war veterans in Canada.

“Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday (Wednesday), I was meant to be in Canada.

“There’s an event to honour our veterans, those injured during battles, and we were meant to be there. We were invited with our team. Half of the team have gone and the other half have been denied. It’s very disappointing,” Musa stated.

Musa expressed his disappointment, calling the incident a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to strengthen its sovereignty and resist being taken for granted by foreign nations.

“This is a reminder that we must stand on our own, stand strong as a nation, and refuse to be taken for granted,” he advised.

Ribadu agreed with Musa’s statement, commending him for openly addressing the issue.

He stressed the need for Nigeria to prioritize its internal strength instead of relying on external approval.

The NSA said, “Thank you for the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell”.

“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 also commended Gen. Musa’s leadership in the fight against insecurity, emphasizing the ongoing collaboration among Nigeria’s security agencies to enhance national security.

Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie, former Nigerian ambassador to Cameroon, believes that high-ranking officials like the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, and other service chiefs should have diplomatic passports. He suggests that visa applications for these officials be routed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and accompanied by a Note Verbale.

“In this case, denial of visa will be inconceivable. If it is denied, the Nigerian mission in Canada will be instructed to delay all diplomatic, official and private applications of Canadians visiting Nigeria for an extended period, to reciprocate the hostile action.

“The Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria should be summoned to investigate the visa denial, to avoid a repetition. Sometimes, the visa officers, who are from the home immigration department are very arrogant, with the tendency to treat all applications, the same way and with levity.

“However, in future, such delegations should not be unnecessarily over bloated, to include family members, who have nothing to do with the conference.”

Retired ambassador to Algeria, Amb. Mohammed Mabdul, criticized Canada’s visa denial to Nigerian officials as “highly undiplomatic,” despite the two countries’ friendly relationship. He urged the Canadian High Commission to reconsider its decision, emphasizing that diplomatic relations should not be jeopardized by such actions. Mabdul also stressed the importance of handling security issues with seriousness and caution, highlighting the need for careful consideration in diplomatic matters.

He said, “The visa denial between two friendly countries (Nigeria and Canada) is highly undiplomatic. The Canadian High Commission must review what transpired. The issue of security should not be taken for granted.”

Yemi Farounbi, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, criticized NSA Ribadu’s choice of language in addressing the rejection of his Canada entry application, calling it undiplomatic.

Farounbi stated, “I don’t think the NSA handled the matter in the best possible way, and the language used cannot be considered diplomatic.

“Perhaps the matter should have been referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am confident that the Ministry would have handled it differently, most likely by inviting the Canadian High Commissioner for a discussion.

“Every sovereign nation has the right to grant or deny visas to any applicant. In this case, considering the existing bilateral relationship, the matter could have been addressed through diplomatic channels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the best agency for handling matters like this, and they would have used appropriate language,” he added.

Farounbi warned against Ministries, Departments, and Agencies taking on the responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without proper expertise.

“There is a tendency in Nigeria for other ministries to attempt to perform the functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, despite lacking the required expertise.

“There are instances where top officials visit foreign countries without informing the Nigerian Embassy in those countries. This is not how such matters should be handled,” he added.