By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
The Nigerian government has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, Guinea-Bissau’s opposition presidential candidate, following alleged threats to his life in the aftermath of last week’s military coup.
Military officers had staged the coup last Wednesday, days after Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election. Both incumbent President Umaro Embaló and da Costa had claimed victory before the electoral commission announced official results, heightening tensions in the Portuguese-speaking West African nation.
Nigeria, expressing deep concern over the unfolding crisis, called for the immediate restoration of constitutional order.
This is as the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was working with regional and international partners to ensure a “swift return” to normalcy.
In a letter dated 30 November to Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the protection of da Costa within the Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau. The letter also requested the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau, ESSMGB, to provide security for him on the embassy grounds.
Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s special assistant on media and communications, authenticated the correspondence, stressing that Nigeria’s action aligns with its commitment to regional stability and democratic governance.
“Acting in the interest of de-escalation, Nigeria exercised its lawful discretion to prevent further tensions and promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African sub-region,” Abdulkadir said.
He added that the intervention was consistent with ECOWAS principles and Nigeria’s long-standing role as a stabilising force in West Africa.
Following the coup, ECOWAS convened an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and government, announcing the immediate suspension of Guinea-Bissau from the bloc until constitutional order is restored.
