The Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau has granted asylum to opposition presidential candidate Fernando Dias da Costa following threats to his life
The move comes in the wake of a military coup in the Portuguese-speaking West African country last Wednesday, just days after the presidential elections. Both President Umaro Embaló and da Costa had declared victory before the electoral commission released official results.
Nigeria expressed strong concern over the coup, urging the immediate restoration of constitutional order. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would coordinate with partners to ensure a “swift return” to normalcy.
In a letter to Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had approved protection for da Costa within the Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau. The letter, dated November 30, also requested that the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB) provide security for da Costa while on embassy grounds.
Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s special assistant on media and communications, verified the letter and stressed that Nigeria’s intervention reflects its sovereign duty and longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance.
“Acting to de-escalate tensions, Nigeria exercised its lawful discretion to prevent further unrest and promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African region,” Abdulkadir said, noting that the move aligns with ECOWAS principles and Nigeria’s role as a stabilizing force in the region.
Following the coup, ECOWAS held an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and government, suspending Guinea-Bissau from the bloc until constitutional order is restored.
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