The Nigerian government has accused Canada of refusing visas to senior military officers, including the head of the military.
General General Christopher Musa said half of the delegation, which was to be in Canada for his official mission on Wednesday, was left in Nigeria after failing to receive the correct documents.
Interior Minister Orbanmi Tonji Ojo condemned the actions of Canadian officials and called the West African country “disrespectful.”
The Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria said he was aware of the issue but declined to provide further details on “privacy reasons” for the specific individuals involved.
It's two weeks after Canada introduced new regulations that grant explicit authority to cancel temporary resident documents under certain circumstances.
The change was intended to enhance border security, maintain the integrity of the visa program and protect public safety, according to Canadian authorities.
On Thursday, General Musa said it was intended to honor war veterans for how he and his colleagues closed to attend events in Canada.
“We were invited along with our team, half of us got a visa and the other half were denied. That's a very disappointing thing,” he added.
He called the incident a “walking call” to strengthen Nigeria's sovereignty and a “rejection of what is obvious.”
Speaking at the same event Thursday, National Security Advisor Neuf Ribadu expressed disappointment at the move, calling Canada “disrespectful” saying it could “go to hell.”
“This is another reason we have to work hard to make Nigeria work,” added Ribadu.
In an interview on Nigeria's television on Friday, Tunji-Ojo said Canada's actions were unfair and that diplomatic channels could have been used to address concerns.
“If that could happen to the defence chief, I'm worried about the average Nigerian,” the Home Minister said.
However, he hoped that the issue would be resolved diplomatically to ensure mutual respect between the two countries.
