President Bola Tinubu’s administration has written to the ECOWAS Commission requesting additional security cover for Fernando Dia Da Costa days after the hijacked November 2025 general elections in Guinea‑Bissau.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, through a letter dated November 30, 2025, asked the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, to trigger a regional security mandate for the candidate, citing alleged “imminent threats” to his life.
The Nigerian government also confirmed that Da Costa will receive 24-hour security within the premises of the Nigerian Embassy, in line with Tinubu’s approval.
The Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed that President Tinubu had sanctioned the action to ensure Da Costa’s safety during Guinea-Bissau’s volatile pre-election period.
The minister’s communication partly read, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 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 Dia Da Costa.”
Tuggar said the approval underscores our firm commitment to safeguarding the democratic aspirations and the sovereign will of the good people of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, reinforcing Nigeria’s stabilisation profile in West Africa.
Expanding the security request beyond embassy borders, Tuggar urged ECOWAS to issue a protection directive through its Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMB).
He wrote, “In this regard, it would be appreciated if you would kindly mandate the ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMB) to provide him protection and security while in the premises of the Nigerian Embassy.”
The unrest leading to the request comes amid historical electoral instability in the country, worsened by recurring political crises and a recent military coup that heightened safety fears for political actors.
Election seasons in Guinea-Bissau have often been characterised by tensions, turbulence, and risks involving opposition figures.
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