…Jonathan had travelled to Guinea-Bissau as part of an international observer mission.
Awka, Nigeria — The iNews Times | Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is currently stranded in Guinea-Bissau following a sudden military takeover that unfolded on Wednesday, trapping hundreds of foreign observers and halting all movement across the country.
Jonathan had travelled to Guinea-Bissau as part of an international observer mission ahead of the now-disrupted national elections. Although voting has been concluded, official results have yet to be released. As news of the coup broke, many observers and diplomats rushed to the airport in an attempt to flee, but all exit routes were immediately shut down.
The crisis deepened after both leading candidates, incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and opposition figure Fernando Dias, prematurely declared victory, plunging the nation into heightened tension. Within 24 hours, a faction of military officers announced they had assumed “total control” of the state.
Identifying themselves as the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” the officers announced the suspension of the electoral process “until further notice.” They further ordered the closure of all land, air and sea borders, and imposed a night-time curfew, effectively grounding movement within and outside the country.
The situation remains fluid, with international bodies monitoring developments as diplomats, election observers and foreign nationals remain unable to depart.
