Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, among other African leaders, is trapped in Guinea-Bissau after the military seized power and suspended the country’s electoral process on 26th November 2025. Although reports have it that the African leaders were safe in their hotel rooms as of last night, flights in and out of the country had been suspended, while there was no authority in Guinea-Bissau to discuss exit plans with.
Besides, many of the election observers who were supposed to leave the country either last night or today (Thursday) were stranded as a result of the flight cancellations. The African leaders were in the country on an election observer mission.
But the group of army officers said they had seized power in coup-prone Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday, a day before the planned announcement of results from a hotly contested presidential election.
In a statement read on state television by spokesperson Diniz N’Tchama, the army officers said they had deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, suspended the electoral process, shut borders, and would enforce a curfew. Shortly after, Embalo told France 24 TV: “I have been deposed.”
The army officers said in their statement that they had formed “The High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and would be in charge of the West African nation until further notice. The officers did not specify if they had taken Embalo into custody, and his whereabouts were unknown.
The observers called on the AU and ECOWAS to take urgent steps to restore constitutional order and demanded the immediate release of all detained officials. The election observers’ delegation is scheduled to leave Guinea-Bissau on November 29.
