Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is among a group of African leaders stranded in Guinea-Bissau after a military takeover halted all flights and shut the country’s borders.
Jonathan was part of a 36-member observer mission from the African Union, ECOWAS and the West African Elders Forum monitoring Sunday’s presidential election.
On Wednesday, army officers announced they had seized power, suspended the electoral process and closed all entry and exit points. The coup followed tension between incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias, who both declared victory before official results were released.
In a joint statement, observers expressed “deep concern,” calling the military intervention “regrettable.” They said they had met both candidates earlier, and each had pledged to respect the outcome of the vote.
The mission urged the AU and ECOWAS to intervene swiftly to restore constitutional order and demanded the release of all detained officials. The delegation had been scheduled to depart Guinea-Bissau on November 29.