What Were 70 Senior Army Officers Going to Do in Canada? – Odinkalu Slams Ribadu

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has strongly criticized Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, and other senior military officers following the denial of their visa applications by the Canadian Embassy. Odinkalu condemned the outrage expressed by the officers, questioning their justification for seeking to attend the Invictus Winter Games in Canada while Nigeria continues to struggle with severe security challenges.

Odinkalu raised concerns about the necessity of sending a delegation of over 70 military officers, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, to an event unrelated to Nigeria’s security needs. He pointed out that Nigeria, as a tropical West African nation, does not observe winter or participate in winter sports, making the decision to send such a large delegation highly questionable.

He further criticized the process behind the visa applications, questioning why such a trip was arranged without the involvement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to Odinkalu, the absence of coordination and transparency in planning the trip reflected poorly on the country’s leadership.

Rather than acknowledging the misstep, Odinkalu accused Nigeria’s senior cabinet members, led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, of handling the situation in an embarrassing manner. He described the controversy as a failure of governance and called for greater accountability among top officials.