- Reports also indicated that President Embaló was arrested in the capital
- Top security chiefs, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Biaguê Na Ntan and his deputy, were also taken into custody
- The situation deteriorated rapidly as soldiers seized control, halted the electoral process
Former President Goodluck Jonathan was escorted out of Guinea-Bissau by armed troops on Wednesday as the nation’s political turmoil escalated during his duties with the joint AU, ECOWAS, and WAEF observer mission.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the intervention became necessary after chaos erupted when both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition contender Fernando Dias prematurely declared victory in Sunday’s presidential election, even before official results were released.
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The situation deteriorated rapidly as soldiers seized control, halted the electoral process, shut all borders, and imposed a nationwide curfew.
Their announcement followed heavy gunfire around key government institutions, including the electoral commission office and the presidential palace.
Concerned by the unrest, Nigeria’s House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to ensure Jonathan’s safe evacuation from Guinea-Bissau and to provide refuge for other Nigerians stranded in the troubled nation.
Military officers later appeared on national television declaring they had taken “full control” of the state pending further directives, thrusting Guinea-Bissau into yet another cycle of political uncertainty.
Reports also indicated that President Embaló was arrested in the capital, Bissau, shortly after the military takeover.
He confirmed that he was detained inside the presidential palace but said no violence was used during what he described as a coup orchestrated by the army’s top hierarchy.
Top security chiefs, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Biaguê Na Ntan and his deputy, were also taken into custody as the military consolidated its power.
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