Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was earlier today Thursday escorted out of Guinea-Bissau by military personnel who had staged a coup on Wednesday.
Nigeria’s Federal Government earlier said today Thursday that Jonathan had safely exited Guinea-Bissau, where he had gone on election-monitored duties only to be trapped by the military coup that toppled the country’s democracy.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, told journalists in Abuja: “Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau. He left with a special flight with members of his delegation, including Mohamed Chambas.
Jonathan had led the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission for the country’s last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Filipe Nyusi, former president of Mozambique and Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission; Issifu Kamara, Head of the Economic Community of West African States Election Observation Mission; and Jonathan condemned the coup, describing it as a direct attempt to disrupt Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process.
They appealed for calm among residents and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau “during this sensitive period,” stressing “the importance of preserving peace, stability, and the well-being of the Bissau-Guinean people.”
General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, announced that a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces was taking over the leadership of the country until further notice.”
However, on Thursday, military authorities said the country’s borders had been reopened.
“All borders are now open,” General Lansana Mansali, Inspector General of the Armed Forces, told AFP.
Over 6,700 security personnel, including members of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Force, had been deployed for the elections amid widespread political tension.
