Nigerian Embassy Grants Asylum to Guinea-Bissau Opposition Leader Fernando Dias
The Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, the country’s main opposition presidential candidate, amid alleged threats to his life following the recent military coup.
According to TheCable, this development comes in the wake of a military takeover announced last Wednesday in the Portuguese-speaking West African nation.
The coup occurred just days after the country’s presidential elections, where both incumbent President Umaro Embaló and Dias had declared victory before official results could be announced.
In a letter dated November 30 and addressed to Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved Dias’s protection within the embassy premises.
Tuggar stated that the decision was a direct response to credible threats against Dias’s life.
“In this regard, it would be appreciated if you would kindly mandate the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB) to provide him protection and security while in the premises of the Nigerian embassy,” the letter read.
Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Communications Strategy, confirmed the move to TheCable on Monday.
“The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant asylum and provide protection to Mr. Fernando Dia Da Costa falls squarely within Nigeria’s sovereign responsibility and longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance,” Abdulkadir said in a statement.
He added that Nigeria acted in the “broader interest of de-escalation” to prevent further tension and promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African sub-region.
The Nigerian government has expressed deep concern over the coup and called for an immediate restoration of constitutional order. ECOWAS has also suspended Guinea-Bissau from the bloc until democratic rule is reinstated.
