JUST IN; Former Nigerian President, trapped in Guinea-Bissau after Military Coup
JUST IN; Former Nigerian President, trapped in Guinea-Bissau after Military Coup
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is among dozens of African leaders and diplomats trapped in Guinea-Bissau after soldiers toppled the government and halted the country’s electoral process.
Jonathan is part of a 36-member high-level observer mission representing the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), deployed to monitor Sunday’s presidential election.
Tensions escalated on Wednesday when military officers seized power, suspended the vote, and shut the nation’s borders and airports. The coup followed a chaotic standoff in which incumbent President Umaro Embaló, seeking re-election, and his main challenger, Fernando Dias, both claimed victory despite the electoral commission having yet to release official results.
In a statement, the joint AU–ECOWAS–WAEF mission voiced “deep concern” over the military takeover, noting that the development came shortly after the observers had met with the two leading candidates, who had pledged to respect “the will of the people.”
The delegation urged the AU and ECOWAS to act swiftly to restore constitutional governance and demanded the immediate release of officials detained during the upheaval.
The observer team is scheduled to depart Guinea-Bissau on November 29, pending the security situation.
