Tinubu, ECOWAS Leaders Move to Contain Guinea-Bissau Coup as FG Confirms Jonathan’s Safety
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday joined other Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in an extraordinary virtual summit convened to address the escalating political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, following a military coup in the country on Wednesday.
The emergency meeting, held via Zoom, brought together West African leaders in a swift diplomatic effort to respond to the unfolding situation.
The coup, carried out by elements of the Guinea-Bissau armed forces, saw the arrest of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the suspension of the electoral process.
The military has since announced General Horta Nta Na Man as head of a one-year transitional government.
Tinubu, who served two consecutive terms as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government until June 2025, participated in the summit in his capacity as a former chair and key regional actor.
ECOWAS, already contending with a resurgence of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, signalled through Thursday’s meeting its determination to stem further destabilisation in the sub-region.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was in Guinea-Bissau as part of the ECOWAS Election Monitoring Mission has left the country safely following concerns over his whereabouts during the takeover.
Presidential and legislative elections held on November 23 were interrupted when the military declared that it had seized power, dissolving state institutions and upending what observers had earlier praised as a peaceful voting process.
Jonathan’s presence in the country at the time of the coup raised anxiety until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed he had departed.
The Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, assured that “Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau,” adding that Nigeria strongly condemned the military action.
Ebienfa reiterated Nigeria’s call for “utmost restraint,” urging all actors in Guinea-Bissau to return to dialogue and respect the will of voters.
He warned that the coup constituted a “blatant violation” of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which prohibits any form of unconstitutional change of government.
In a formal statement, the Federal Government expressed “profound dismay and deep concern,” stressing that the military’s actions undermined democratic progress not only in Guinea-Bissau but across the entire West African sub-region.
Nigeria demanded the “immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order,” as well as the release and protection of all detained officials and election observers.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau,” the statement read, adding that those responsible for the insurrection “will be held accountable” for derailing the nation’s democratic trajectory.
The government reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness, alongside ECOWAS and the African Union, to take necessary steps to ensure a swift return to civilian governance.
