Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has yesterday warned that Nigeria being a great nation will not tolerate any form of disrespect from any country against its citizens. The military chief was reacting to the Canadian High Commission which denied him and some military top brass visas to travel for the Invictus games in Vancouver, Canada, last week.
CDS was speaking at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, after receiving the wounded soldiers that participated in the event in Canada.
Gen. Musa said that currently Nigeria is a team player at the global stage and therefore will not tolerate any form of misconceived ill-treated by some countries by whatever standard.
Last week the CDS and some military chiefs, who were scheduled to attend the Invictus games, were denied visa by the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria an action that sparked an outrage among Nigerians.
The action was condemned by the Federal Government, with the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, describing it as unacceptable from the Canadian authority.
Although, there were some insinuation suggesting that the CDS and his men of the armed forces were not invited to participate in the Invictus games initiated by Duke of SussexA; an insinuation the General dismissed.
According to General Musa, they followed all the due process and that every concerned government officials including Ministers and NSA were aware only to be disgraced by the Canadian high Commission.
He said: “On the issue of the denial of the visa, it must be tackled at all abroad. Nigeria is good enough for all of us. We had an agreement, we were invited, the programme was sent to us, we followed our requirements; we followed the process.
“Everybody knows members of the Armed Forces, we will never take shortcuts. The Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State, the NSA, everybody is aware about this journey, and we followed the process, he added.
“But for reasons best known to them, most of the members of the team were denied visas. You remember, 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 those aspects. I think it’s important for people to understand that we deserve respect as Nigerians all over the world. We must never accommodate disrespect from anybody because we are a good country.
“For our Indigenous guests participating, you have made Nigeria proud. Your courage and determination have left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who have witnessed your journey. You are true embodiment of the Indigenous spirit, unconquered, unbroken, and unstoppable.”
He reiterated that his veterans whom suffered various degrees of injuries while protecting the country shall not be abandoned as some individual wishes.
He reaffirmed, “As we celebrate the achievements of our team, let us also remember the sacrifices made by all of our ex-service members in line with their duties.
“Let us continue to honour the sacrifices provided to support the country by committing resources to ensure their well-being for their successful re-integration into civilian life.
“For me, as the Chief of the Defense Staff, this is a clarion call, that whatever it takes to raise the morale of our troops, we will do it, whatever the cost is, because we know, once the troops see what we are doing with those that are injured, they will want to do their best because they know if anything happens to them, they will want to do their best.
“I’ve had comments from individuals across, mostly from the views of ignorance in the aspect that, why are we talking troops out? And I wonder, if you see those that have sacrificed so much, if you see those that have died, if you see those ones that have amputated legs, hands, and somebody thinks it is not important or it is not good for us, to look after them.
“Those other countries that sent their own were not doing it just because they wanted to do it but because they knew the importance. So, sometimes when we go to school, we should read deep and allow schools to also pass through us,” General Musa concluded.