Jonathan Stranded in Guinea-Bissau Coup Chaos

Military officers in Guinea-Bissau declared “total control” on November 26, 2025, suspending the presidential and legislative elections held three days earlier, arresting President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and imposing a nationwide curfew while closing all land, air, and sea borders. ​ Brigadier General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, justified the takeover as a response to an alleged plot involving politicians, foreign actors, and drug lords aiming to manipulate results and destabilize the nation. ​ Gunfire erupted near the presidential palace and key sites like the interior ministry before the announcement from army headquarters in Bissau. ​​

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, leading the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) observer mission alongside African Union (AU) and ECOWAS teams, is among 36 high-profile figures unable to leave due to the shutdown. ​ Associates confirm Jonathan’s safety, though no updates have emerged since Tuesday, and Nigeria’s House of Representatives urged diplomatic action for his secure return. ​ The joint mission had just met with top candidates Embaló and Fernando Dias, both of whom pledged to accept results, when the coup unfolded. ​

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Election tensions peaked after both Embaló, seeking re-election, and opposition challenger Dias prematurely claimed victory with over 50% of votes, despite no official tally from the electoral commission and voter turnout above 65%. ​ Opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira and others faced detention, marking Guinea-Bissau’s ninth coup since independence in 1974. ​ ECOWAS, AU, and UN observers condemned the “blatant disruption” of a peaceful process, demanding release of detainees and restoration of constitutional order. ​