Nigeria has granted temporary asylum to Guinea-Bissau’s opposition presidential contender Fernando Dia Da Costa, offering him protection within its embassy in Bissau following credible reports of threats to his life.
The decision was conveyed in a letter dated 30 November to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Confirming the development, Al-Kasim Abdulkadir, media aide to the Minister, said the move “falls squarely within Nigeria’s sovereign responsibility and its longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance.”
He said the intervention was intended to help de-escalate rising political tensions in Guinea-Bissau, strengthen social cohesion, and avert further instability across the West African region.
“This action is guided solely by the imperatives of peace, human security, and regional stability, in full alignment with ECOWAS principles and Nigeria’s historic role as a stabilising force in West Africa,” Abdulkadir said.
The development comes ahead of Guinea-Bissau’s presidential run-off election later this month, in which Mr Da Costa is one of the frontrunners.
READ ALSO: Bakare Says Trump’s Nigeria Stance Driven by Oil, Strategic Interests
0 Comments