Goodluck Jonathan trapped in Guinea-Bissau after military coup

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly trapped in Guinea-Bissau following a military takeover announced earlier on Friday.

Jonathan, who is in the country as head of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Mission, along with hundreds of international observers, was unable to leave as tensions escalated.

Sources from Daily Trust indicate that numerous foreign observers, who rushed to the airport after news of the coup, remain stranded.

A faction of military officers claiming control of the country declared themselves the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and announced the suspension of the electoral process “until further notice.” They ordered the immediate closure of all land, air, and sea borders, as well as the imposition of an overnight curfew.

President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, one of the leading candidates in the election, confirmed in a phone interview with France24 that he had been deposed and was “currently at the general staff headquarters.” Opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the PAIGC party, was also reportedly arrested. Witnesses noted that the military was attempting to cut off internet access as the curfew took effect.

Denis N’Canha, the officer leading the coup, previously headed the presidential guard. “The man tasked with protecting the president has now placed him under arrest,” commented Haque, a local observer.

Upon his arrival in Guinea-Bissau, Jonathan posted on social media that he had arrived as part of the WAEF Election Mission ahead of the November 23, 2025 presidential and parliamentary elections. Two days later, he shared updates on the ongoing election day, reporting visits to polling stations and extending well wishes for a peaceful, transparent process. Most recently, Jonathan posted about a condolence visit to the family of the late former First Lady, Mrs. Isolina Da Fonseca Nhamajo, paying respects to their matriarch.

Efforts to reach Jonathan directly through his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, were unsuccessful due to communication outages. However, former spokesman Ima Niboro confirmed to Daily Trust that Jonathan, who recently turned 68, remained in Guinea-Bissau at the time of the coup and was safe.

In a joint statement, Jonathan and other African leaders in the country condemned the military intervention. “We express deep concern over the announcement of a coup d’état by the armed forces while the nation awaited official election results. It is regrettable that this occurred just after the mission met with both leading candidates, who pledged to respect the will of the people,” the statement read.

The statement continued, urging the African Union and ECOWAS to take action to restore constitutional order. “We deplore this attempt to disrupt the democratic process and call for the immediate release of detained officials to allow the electoral process to continue.

We also appeal to the people of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm and reaffirm our commitment to supporting the country’s democratic path, emphasizing the importance of peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people during this critical period.”