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Nigeria grants asylum to Guinea-Bissau opposition leader
Nigeria has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, a presidential candidate from Guinea-Bissau, following a military coup that halted the release of election results. The 47-year-old, who ran for the Party for Social Renewal, was under protection at the Nigerian embassy in Bissau after reports of threats against him, Nigeria's foreign minister confirmed.
Election results destroyed amid coup
The military takeover occurred three days after the 23 November presidential vote, suspending the electoral process and blocking the announcement of results. Armed men in balaclavas raided the electoral commission's offices, destroying paperwork and the main computer server storing regional vote tallies. Idrissa Djalo, a senior electoral official, stated that tally sheets from two key regions were intercepted and confiscated.
Competing claims and coup motives
Both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and Dias da Costa had claimed victory in the election. The PAIGC, the former liberation movement that ended Portuguese colonial rule, was barred from fielding a candidate. Dias da Costa fled his campaign headquarters as armed men attempted to arrest him, while PAIGC leader Domingos Pereira was detained on the day of the coup. The party's headquarters were later raided by heavily armed militia groups.
Ecowas responds as junta consolidates power
The West African bloc Ecowas suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies until constitutional order is restored. A delegation led by Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba held tense talks with the junta, describing them as "productive" but acknowledging mutual concerns. The military has installed Gen. Horta N'Tam as transitional leader for a one-year term and banned all demonstrations.
Allegations of a staged coup
Speculation persists about the coup's motives, with some accusing Embaló of orchestrating a "simulated coup" to block unfavorable election results. Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and Nigeria's former leader Goodluck Jonathan suggested the takeover was fabricated, though without evidence. Embaló, who left for Senegal and later Congo-Brazzaville, has not addressed the allegations. Local civil society groups claim the coup was a ruse to suppress dissent.
Regional tensions and historical instability
Guinea-Bissau, a known drug-trafficking hub, has experienced at least nine coups or attempted coups in the past five decades. The military has wielded significant influence since independence from Portugal in 1974. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar emphasized President Bola Tinubu's commitment to safeguarding Guinea-Bissau's democratic process, requesting Ecowas troops to secure the Nigerian embassy where Dias da Costa is sheltered.
"The decision to accommodate Mr. da Costa underscores our firm commitment to safeguarding the democratic aspirations and the sovereign will of the people of Guinea-Bissau."
Yusuf Tuggar, Nigerian Foreign Minister
