By Miriam Humbe
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, on Wednesday said that the military met all the requirements and passed through all the processes for the recent visa application to the Canadian High Commission.
Gen Musa said this in Abuja when he received the Armed Forces of Nigeria Contingent who won medals at the just concluded Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
He said that most people who made comments against Nigeria’s participation in the sporting event spoke from the point of ignorance.
Gen Musa also spoke on the issue of visa denial by Canada which had dominated national discourse in the past week, with many frowning at the action of the Canadian Embassy.
The CDS said: “On the issue of the denial of the visa, we must not travel abroad. Nigeria is good enough for all of us.
“We had an agreement; we were invited, a programme was sent, we followed our requirements and the process.
“Everybody knows members of the armed forces will never take shortcuts. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the NSA, everybody is aware of this journey, and we followed the process.
“But for reasons best known to them, most of the teams members, like the team captain, did not go, the medical doctor was not there, the physiotherapist did not go.
“All those that were important for the team were not given visas. And the question is why?
“Well, I’m happy that the Federal Government is also looking at that aspect.”
Gen Musa said it was important for people to understand that Nigerians deserved respect across the world, as Nigeria must never accommodate disrespect from anybody.
He thanked the participants in the games for making Nigeria proud, saying that they left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who had witnessed the journey.
The CDS said: “You are the true embodiment of the invictus spirit, unconquered, unbroken, and unstoppable”.
