Goodluck Jonathan Safe After Guinea Bissau Coup, Nigeria Condemns Military Takeover

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is safe and has departed Guinea Bissau after the military ousted the country’s government, the Federal Government confirmed on Thursday. The clarification came from Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who assured that Jonathan and his delegation left the country on a special flight.

Jonathan had been in Guinea Bissau as head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission, monitoring last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections when the military announced that it had taken control of the state.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, Filipe Nyusi of the African Union Election Observation Mission, Issifu Kamara of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, and Jonathan condemned the coup, calling it a direct attack on Guinea Bissau’s democratic process. They urged residents to remain calm and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting stability and peace during what they described as a sensitive moment for the country.

Nigeria also issued a strong condemnation of the coup, describing it as a grave threat to democracy and regional security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it received news of the development with “profound dismay and deep concern,” stressing that the overthrow represents an unconstitutional change of government and violates the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Guinea Bissau descended into chaos on Wednesday after military officers declared they had taken “total control,” closed all borders, and halted electoral activities. Heavy gunfire echoed near the presidential palace while soldiers blocked major roads across the capital.

General Denis N’Canha, who heads the presidential military office, announced that a joint command drawn from all branches of the armed forces would run the country until further notice. In a phone call with France24, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo confirmed, “I have been deposed.” Reports indicated he was being held inside a building near military headquarters alongside the chief of staff and the interior minister.

Before the coup, both Embalo and opposition candidate Fernando Dias had claimed victory in the weekend polls, with provisional results expected on Thursday. The military later alleged that it uncovered a plan involving drug traffickers and imported weapons aimed at destabilising the state.

By late Thursday, military authorities announced that borders had been reopened. According to AFP, General Lansana Mansali confirmed, “All borders are now open.”

Over 6,700 security personnel, including ECOWAS Stabilisation Force members, had been deployed for the elections as the country grappled with deep political divisions. Guinea Bissau, one of the poorest nations in the world, has a long history of instability, with multiple coups and attempted coups since gaining independence.