Nigeria Grants Asylum To Guinea-Bissau Opposition Leader Following Military Coup

Nigeria has moved to provide asylum and protection to Fernando Dias da Costa, Guinea-Bissau’s opposition presidential candidate, following reported threats to his life after last week’s military coup.

The coup, announced by military officers on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, came just days after Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election, in which both incumbent President Umaro Embaló and his main challenger, da Costa, claimed victory before official results were released.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who led the ECOWAS election observer team, questioned the legitimacy of the coup, suggesting it may have been orchestrated by President Embaló.

In a letter dated 30 November 2025 to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved asylum and protection for da Costa within the Nigerian Embassy in Bissau.

“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCON, has graciously approved the provision of protection and security in the premises of the Nigerian Embassy in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, for Mr. Fernando Dias da Costa. This is a proactive measure in response to imminent threats to his life,” the letter read.
“This decision underscores our firm commitment to safeguarding the democratic aspirations and sovereign will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.”

The letter also requested that ECOWAS’s Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau provide security for da Costa while on the Nigerian Embassy premises.

Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Foreign Minister, confirmed the letter’s authenticity to The Cable. He said the decision “falls squarely within Nigeria’s sovereign responsibility and longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance.”

Abdulkadir added that Nigeria’s intervention was aimed at de-escalating tensions, preventing further instability, and promoting social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African region. He emphasized that the action aligns with ECOWAS principles and reflects Nigeria’s historic role as a stabilizing force in West Africa.

Following the coup, ECOWAS convened an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and subsequently suspended Guinea-Bissau from the regional bloc until constitutional order is restored.

ECOWAS Chairman, Sierra Leonean President Julius Bio, said he has held talks with the country’s military leadership as regional efforts to restore constitutional governance intensify. In a statement posted on X on Monday, Bio noted that his engagement followed resolutions from the Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council.

“I engaged in constructive discussions with the military leadership of Guinea-Bissau. ECOWAS remains firm in its commitment to ensure democratic governance is reinstated,” Bio said.
“As Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, I reaffirm ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to restore constitutional order.”

Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability and military interventions since gaining independence in 1974. The current crisis erupted after the 23 November 2025 elections, when both Embaló and da Costa claimed victory, triggering tensions.

On 26 November, soldiers seized key government sites, announced they had “taken total control,” suspended the electoral process, imposed an overnight curfew, and sealed the country’s land, air, and sea borders.

By 27 November, the ruling junta — the High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order — appointed Horta Nta Na Man as transitional president for one year. The junta later reversed the border closure to alleviate economic pressure and humanitarian concerns.

Nigeria’s decision to provide asylum to da Costa underscores its proactive role in West African diplomacy, signaling support for democratic norms while seeking to stabilize Guinea-Bissau amid ongoing political uncertainty.