₦airaland Forum

Nigeria Should Apologise To Canadian High Commission Over Visa Requests For 70+ Officers For #InvictusWinterGames –Chidi Odinkalu.

He questioned the rationale behind sending a delegation of over 70 officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, to Canada for the Invictus Winter Games while Nigeria is grappling with severe insecurity.

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, criticized Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other senior military officers after they were denied visas by the Canadian Embassy. Odinkalu remarked that the CDS and the top officers who are outraged about being denied visas to attend the Invictus Winter Games should be ashamed of themselves.

He questioned the rationale behind sending a delegation of over 70 officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, to Canada for the Invictus Winter Games while Nigeria is grappling with severe insecurity.

Odinkalu also questioned when Nigeria, a tropical West African country, started observing winter or participating in winter games.

Additionally, he questioned why a large delegation of top military officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, applied for visas for this trip without the knowledge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to him, instead of admitting a significant mistake and apologising, Nigeria has 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.’”

Source: https://saharareporters.com/2025/02/16/nigeria-should-apologise-canadian-high-commission-over-visa-requests-70-officers

70? 😩😩😩😩😩😩

Did I read over 70 military officers? It better not be true

This will surely be an international disgrace and embarrassment if this 70+ official delegation thing is true. Useless fellas wasting the resources of a nation for a jamboree.

Invictus games created for wounded veterans is what a whole CDS of a country with some parts ravaged by terrorists wants to go for with over 70 officers.

The Canadian consular official in-charge of visa approvals must have taken one look at the pile of visa applications from the Nigerian army on his desk and promptly reached over for his rejected stamp….determined to do his own little bit for the long suffering Nigerian masses by rejecting at least half!

A wasteful government. I said it before.

Thank you Canada for helping us save some tax payers money.

A significant percentage of the entourage would be 'Item 7s' for the military officers.

IGBOPROMISE1:
The Canadian consular official in-charge of visa approvals must have taken one look at the pile of visa applications from the Nigerian army on his desk and promptly reached over for his rejected stamp….determined to do his own little bit for the long suffering Nigerian masses by rejecting at least half!

Tears almost dropped from my eyes while reading this. This is probably EXACTLY what happened. Kai! Nigerians need a saviour!!!

The hussle for estacode

Some of the soldiers wouldn't have returned to Nigeria. They would've declared asylum. Canada took the right decision 😁😁😁😁

Quota system 70 plus delegates

Imagine the chairman of the US joint chiefs engaging in such frivolity. Nigeria should be ashamed.

Tropical is even overstatement. 70% Savannah belt with scanty or average dry rainfall.

Hi

Nigeria has the best weather compared to the north pole bur u see the black man ehhn, hes been told a lie by those who decides value that his environment is shithole and he has believed the lie . How can we be free from inferiority. We were once gods.

Canadia high commission can just go to hell..

You see one igbo man is equal to 70 +70 foolanis and their slaves the yourba's.

The have brain but don't use it. That's why the zoo is going backwards because of this two fools .

Keep digracing the zoo

Well, they should have given the CDS or told them to reduce the number or somethng. Not just stamp at random.

Well done Canadian High Commission
.
France Embassy take note and do the needful when T.Pain comes with his bogus entourage

The fools are crying because Canada denied them visa. Idiots that are wasting our money on unnecessary travel. Many of them may have planned to travel with ashawo too.

Racoon:
This will surely be an international disgrace and embarrassment if this 70+ official delegation thing is true. Useless fellas wasting the resources of a nation for a jamboree.

Musa is the most incompetent CDS ever

God bless Canada 🇨🇦

Shameless pipu

I knew when the truth about the actual situation surrounding the denial of Visa to the defence minister comes out,we shall all hide our faces in shame. Nigeria is a theatre of the absurd,at a time when Nigerians are gnashing their teeths in severe lack,as usual the irresponsible government have more than enough fund to play around with,imagine sending over 70 security personnel to Canada for an event,who does that? in the midst of biting hardship.
Our leaders are gravely wicked and they do things with impunity and reckless abandon.

Poverty is too bad.

What's wrong with professionals taking part in international activities that their contemporaries engage in?

You can't fight insurgents.

They do it on your behalf.

You hate them even as they protect you.

Pretending that you love the country so much that you can't stand 70 people being granted visas.

Had they been your relations, would you have been so enraged?
Hypocrites.

verdad00:
You see one igbo man is equal to 70 +70 foolanis and their slaves the yourba's.

The have brain but don't use it. That's why the zoo is going backwards because of this two fools .

Keep digracing the zoo

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Shey una go still do combo with El-Rufai or not? Hahahahahahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣

We have seen you, the shameless self appointed spokesperson for Canada. No one is apologising to Canada, go and return their money. These are the fellows foreign governments use in the name of NGOs to do all manner of things here.

Isn't Invictus games for disabled military officers? Why do as many as 70 able bodied military officers need to travel for it? Are they part of the coaching, medical and welfare crew?

This are the pure effects of agberoism when power is snatche & grabbed by corrupt criminals

No accountability, no due process, nö shame

Just parapoism of mentally depraved BATstarrds