The federal government has assured the public that former President Goodluck Jonathan is safe and has exited Guinea-Bissau following the military coup in the West African country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealed that Jonathan departed the country on a special flight alongside his delegation.
“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau. He left on a special flight with members of his delegation, including Mohamed Chambas,” Ebienfa said in a brief message.
The development comes after military officers in Guinea-Bissau announced on Wednesday that they had seized power, halted the electoral process, and would be taking charge “until further notice.”
Jonathan had been in the country as one of 36 top observers deployed under a joint mission comprising the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) to monitor the presidential election.
Nigeria has since condemned the coup and pledged to collaborate with regional partners to ensure the “swift return” of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.
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In an earlier statement, Ebienfa stressed: “This coup d’état represents a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which explicitly rejects any ascension to power through unconstitutional means.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau and call for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order, the safety and security of all those detained and the full respect for the sanctity of democratic institutions in Guinea-Bissau.
“The Nigerian government wishes to unequivocally call on the authorities in Guinea-Bissau to ensure and guarantee the safety of all election observers still in the country on official assignment.
“We warn that the perpetrators of this act will be held accountable for their actions, which threaten to plunge the nation into chaos and reverse the hard-won gains of its democracy.”