Canada Breaks Silence on Visa Denial to Nigeria’s Defence Chief
The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria has addressed the recent visa denial of the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, stating that it cannot disclose the reasons due to privacy policies.
Visa Denial and Disappointment
General Musa was scheduled to travel to Canada for an event honouring military veterans and injured soldiers but was denied a visa by the Canadian embassy in Nigeria.
Speaking at the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) event in Abuja on Thursday, Musa expressed his disappointment over the situation.
“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.
He further revealed that while some members of his delegation were granted visas, others, including himself, were denied.
Canada’s Response
In response to media inquiries, the Canadian High Commission issued a statement on X, formerly Twitter, clarifying its position on the matter.
“The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel to Canada by senior officials. However, for privacy reasons, we are unable to provide any comment on the status of visa applications of specific individuals,” the statement read.
Despite the lack of clarification from Canadian authorities, the incident has raised discussions about diplomatic travel restrictions and visa approval processes.
