By our Reporter
The Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau has granted asylum to opposition presidential candidate Fernando Dias da Costa following threats to his life, authorities confirmed. The development comes in the wake of a military coup announced last Wednesday, just days after the West African nation’s presidential elections.
Tensions escalated after both President Umaro Embaló and da Costa claimed victory before the electoral commission could release official results, prompting fears of political instability. In response to the unfolding crisis, Nigeria expressed deep concern over the coup and called for an immediate restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.
In a letter to Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated that President Bola Tinubu had approved protection for da Costa at the Nigerian embassy. The letter, dated November 30, requested that the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB) provide security for da Costa while on embassy premises.
Tuggar’s special assistant on media, Alkasim Abdulkadir, confirmed the letter’s authenticity, emphasizing that Nigeria’s decision aligns with its sovereign responsibility and long-standing commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance. “Acting in the broader interest of de-escalation, Nigeria exercised its lawful discretion to prevent further deterioration of tensions and to promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African sub-region,” Abdulkadir said.
Following the coup, ECOWAS convened an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and government and subsequently suspended Guinea-Bissau from the regional bloc. The suspension will remain in effect until constitutional order is fully restored, highlighting the urgent need for political stability in the country.
