- Wants Gen Musa, Officers Who Brought Shame on Nigeria..Punished!
- By The New Diplomat’s Foreign Affairs Desk
Radical Professor of Law, Scholar and one time Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has weighed in on the trending denial of Canadian entry visas to top Nigerian military chiefs and officers.
Angry Odinkalu who knocked Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, the federal government and other senior military officers, who were denied entry visas to Canada, after reportedly applying for over 70 visas for over 70 military officers to attend the Invictus Winter Games in Canada, stressed that the CDS and all those involved should not only be ashamed of themselves but should also take steps to apologize to the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.
The former chairman of the NHRC wondered what was the logic behind sending a delegation of over 70 officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, to Canada for the Invictus Winter Games with its attendant huge cost to the federal government while the country is facing severe insecurity, economic and financial issues.
Odinkalu also wondered when Nigeria, a tropical West African country, started observing winter or participating in winter games. The university Scholar who faulted the large delegation of top military officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, who applied for visas for the proposed trip without the involvement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in preparing the necessary note verbale and involving the Nigerian Ambassador in Canada, in the trip, who ought to follow up but regrettably Nigeria has no Ambassador in Canada, said this development has further brought disgrace to Nigeria.
According to Odinkalu, instead of accepting this grave procedural error, and apologising, Nigeria has responded with what he described as a “disgraceful lineup of senior cabinet members, led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.”
“In a series of posts on his X page on Sunday, Odinkalu said, ‘Senior officials of @NigeriaGov who should be ashamed of themselves are frothing that Canada denied visas to the #CDS.
“’How does anyone justify a delegation of over 70 officers led by the CDS to #InvictusWinterGames? When did #Nigeria start doing winter?!
“’And why would a delegation with the Chief of @DefenceInfoNG at its head be applying for visas for an official trip behind the back of @NigeriaMFA? How foolish & irresponsible are we supposed to be?
“’Instead of acknowledging a terrible @OwnGoal & apologising, we have a disgraceful line-up of senior cabinet members, led by @NuhuRibadu & including freelancing ministers, making the government look more stupid.
“’We may be lawless but other countries are not obliged to follow us in that.
“’Instead of abusing @CanHCNigeria, @NigeriaGov owes them an apology.
“’Additionally, in a proper system there will be an investigation as well as consequences for those who have brought this kind of embarrassment upon the country.
“’These people should stop disgracing themselves.’”
Instead of abusing @CanHCNigeria, @NigeriaGov owes them an apology. Additionally, in a proper system, there will be an investigation as well as consequences for those who have brought this kind of embarrassment upon the country. These ppl shd stop disgracing themselves.
— Chidi Odinkalu, CGoF (@ChidiOdinkalu) February 16, 2025:”
