Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has strongly criticised National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu over his public outburst against Canada’s decision to deny visas to Nigerian military personnel.
Ribadu, on Thursday, rebuked the Canadian embassy for denying the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other army chiefs visas.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), Ribadu said Canada “can go to hell.”
He described the visa snub as “disrespectful,” while reacting to comments earlier made by the CDS, who narrated how he and other top military officers were supposed to be in Canada for an official assignment on Wednesday but were denied visas.
Musa said the Canada event is about honouring war veterans. He, however, noted that the denial is a clear reminder that Nigeria must “stand on its own, stand strong as a nation, and should no longer be taken for granted.”
Lamido, a former foreign Affairs minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, condemned the NSA’s handling of the situation, calling it a diplomatic blunder that further tarnishes Nigeria’s global image.
The former governor, in a statement, accused the NSA of overstepping his role, arguing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have taken charge of the issue.
He expressed concern over what he described as “rookie management” of Nigeria’s foreign relations, referencing recent tensions within ECOWAS and now with Canada.
“The whole blunder could have been avoided if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were allowed to play their role as the key ministry in guiding our conduct on the global stage,” Lamido stated.
He argued that instead of a public confrontation, diplomatic channels should have been used to summon the Canadian High Commissioner and address the visa denials.
Lamido lamented that the NSA’s approach had inadvertently exposed Nigeria to international embarrassment. “The NSA should not and must not appropriate the duties of the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” he warned, urging a more strategic and professional approach to Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements.
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