The Federal Government has confirmed that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is safe and has left Guinea-Bissau following Wednesday’s military coup that toppled the country’s government. Speaking in Abuja, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, reassured Nigerians that Jonathan departed the country aboard a special flight alongside members of his delegation, including former UN Special Representative Mohamed Ibn Chambas.
Jonathan was in Guinea-Bissau as part of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, which had joined the African Union and ECOWAS to monitor Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections. The observation teams had been reviewing the polling process when the military announced it had seized control of the state.
In a joint statement, Jonathan, former Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi, who led the AU mission, and ECOWAS head Issifu Kamara condemned the coup, describing it as a deliberate attempt to derail the democratic process. They urged residents of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the country through what they called a “sensitive and destabilising period.” They also stressed the importance of safeguarding peace, stability, and the well-being of citizens.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its own strong condemnation, expressing “profound dismay and deep concern” over the unconstitutional takeover. The statement criticized the coup as a violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and warned that such actions threaten regional stability and democratic progress in West Africa.
Guinea-Bissau was thrown into chaos on Wednesday after military officers declared that they had taken “total control” of the country. Soldiers shut down borders, suspended electoral processes, and stationed heavy security around major roads and government buildings. Gunfire was reported near the presidential palace during the takeover. General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, announced that a joint command of the armed forces had assumed leadership “until further notice.”
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo later told international media that he had been deposed. Reports indicated that he was inside a building behind military headquarters alongside the chief of staff and the interior minister. Tensions had already been high after both Embalo and opposition candidate Fernando Dias claimed victory in Sunday’s polls, with provisional results originally expected on Thursday.
The military claimed its takeover was prompted by the discovery of a plot allegedly involving “national drug lords” and the illegal importation of weapons intended to disrupt constitutional order. By Thursday afternoon, military authorities announced that the country’s borders had been reopened following initial lockdowns.
Over 6,700 security personnel, including members of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Force, had been deployed ahead of the elections amid widespread political tension. Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has a long history of instability and military uprisings, with four successful coups and numerous attempts since its independence.
