Nigerian Senator Ali Ndume has called on the country’s leaders to respect themselves and reduce unnecessary foreign trips. His statement comes in reaction to the denial of a Canadian visa to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, by the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria.
General Musa was scheduled to attend an event in Canada honoring fallen heroes but was unable to travel due to the visa refusal. Speaking at the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) event in Abuja, Musa confirmed the denial, stating, “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.”
The rejection has sparked outrage among Nigerian officials. National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu strongly criticized Canada’s decision, going as far as saying the North American country “can go to hell.” Similarly, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo described the situation as disrespectful to Nigeria and condemned the Canadian embassy’s actions.
Despite the backlash, Canadian authorities have refused to disclose the reasons for the visa denial, citing “privacy reasons.”
Senator Ndume, representing Borno South in the Nigerian Senate, expressed his views on the matter during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. He suggested that Nigerian leaders should focus more on domestic issues rather than frequent international trips.
“You brought about the CDS drama and how the NSA reacted or overreacted. In the first place, there’s no doubt that that is a kind of disrespect to Nigeria, but you have to respect yourself first,” Ndume said.
He also questioned why a high-ranking Nigerian military officer would be denied a visa despite the country’s contributions to international security efforts.
“How can the CDS of Nigeria, a country that is known and the most populous and ranked top, and we have been contributing to international engagements, be denied a visa?” he asked.
Ndume, however, noted that he was pleased General Musa was not overly bothered by the situation. He emphasized that Nigerian leaders should consider reducing foreign trips, adding that he himself had not traveled abroad in years despite being a senator.
“I don’t go anywhere. And I’m a senator. For the past 15-20 years, I’ve been in the National Assembly. I don’t go anywhere. I don’t need to go anywhere. Nigeria is my country,” he stated.
