Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has left Guinea-Bissau and back safely to Nigeria after a fast-moving military takeover plunged the foreign country into chaos, prompting urgent diplomatic manoeuvres to secure his evacuation.
His departure followed heightened tension in the country, where rival candidates claimed victory in a disputed presidential election, triggering a breakdown of state authority.
Jonathan had been in Guinea-Bissau as part of a joint election observer mission when the political climate deteriorated sharply, leading to his placement under military protection.
According to senior diplomatic sources, soldiers escorted him out of the troubled nation once arrangements for his exit were finalised.
Officials at Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed his safe return. The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, briefed reporters that Jonathan was “completely out of harm’s way,” stressing that the evacuation was carried out with precision due to the rapidly escalating situation.
The former leader was one of several high-level envoys deployed by the African Union, ECOWAS and the West African Elders Forum to monitor Guinea-Bissau’s election before the process was derailed.
Trouble began when both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his opponent, Fernando Dias, declared themselves winners despite the absence of official results.
The military swiftly announced the suspension of the election, closed all borders and imposed a nationwide curfew.
The takeover followed reports of intense gunfire near key government buildings, including the electoral commission headquarters and the presidential palace in Bissau.
Jonathan’s evacuation marks one of the first major diplomatic extractions since the crisis erupted, but concerns remain for foreign nationals still trapped in Guinea-Bissau.
Analysts warn that the latest coup could destabilise West Africa further, where several countries are already grappling with military takeovers, weakened democratic institutions, and volatile elections.
As the region braces for potential aftershocks, diplomatic observers note that Guinea-Bissau’s political future remains uncertain, with both domestic and international actors awaiting clarity on the next steps.