Abuja, Nigeria – November 29, 2025 – In a candid interview that has drawn widespread attention across West Africa, former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has provided a detailed account of the harrowing circumstances surrounding his evacuation from Guinea-Bissau, where he was stranded amid a sudden military takeover earlier this week. Jonathan, who was leading an international election observation mission, clarified the logistics behind his return to Nigeria aboard a Côte d’Ivoire presidential jet, dispelling rumors of diplomatic lapses and emphasizing the swift, collaborative response from regional leaders.
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of Guinea-Bissau's fragile political landscape, a nation long plagued by instability. On November 23, 2025, the West African country held presidential and legislative elections, which international observers, including Jonathan's team from the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), described as largely peaceful and credible. However, just three days later, on November 26, chaos erupted in the capital, Bissau. Gunfire echoed through the streets as military forces announced a takeover, suspending the electoral process and detaining opposition leaders, including presidential candidates Fernando da Costa and Domingos Simões Pereira. President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who had claimed victory amid disputes, was reportedly arrested, marking the ninth coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau since its independence from Portugal in 1974.
Jonathan, a seasoned statesman known for his role in mediating regional conflicts during his 2010–2015 presidency, was in Bissau as the head of the WAEF delegation, part of a joint mission with the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The 68-year-old former leader, whose tenure saw him navigate Nigeria's own security challenges, found himself unexpectedly at the epicenter of the unrest.
"While we were in Bissau and this so-called coup happened, the information we got was that the whole country was agitated, young and old, irrespective of religious or political divides," Jonathan recounted in his first public statement since the ordeal.
News of the turmoil spread rapidly, igniting nationwide anxiety in Nigeria. Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), erupted with messages of concern from citizens across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Hashtags like #BringBackGEJ and #GuineaBissauCoup trended, with users sharing prayers and demands for swift government action. Prominent figures, including members of the House of Representatives, voiced frustration over perceived delays in the response from Abuja. Rivers State lawmaker Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante publicly criticized the Bola Tinubu administration for its "alarming silence," questioning why it took intervention from a neighboring country to secure Jonathan's safety. The outpouring of support, Jonathan noted, was a rare moment of national unity that moved him deeply.
As reports of gunfire and border closures filtered in, both Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Dramane Ouattara sprang into action. Jonathan revealed that the two leaders immediately mobilized aircraft to evacuate him and his 12-member delegation, a gesture he described as a testament to "commitment to safety and regional cooperation." However, logistical hurdles emerged. Guinea-Bissau’s airspace, already tense under military control, required rapid diplomatic clearances for foreign flights. Here, geography and historical ties proved decisive: Côte d’Ivoire, sharing a border with Guinea-Bissau and bound by longstanding Francophone-Lusophone relations, secured approval faster than Nigeria.
"Côte d’Ivoire is closer to Guinea-Bissau, and there’s always some relationship between the Francophone countries and the Lusophones, who are among the Francophones," Jonathan explained, highlighting how these bonds expedited the process.
By the time Nigeria's aircraft received the green light, the Ivorian jet was already en route. To avoid unnecessary duplication and delays, Jonathan's team instructed the Nigerian crew to stand down.
"That is why, if you look at the images from our return, you will see that we came in on an Ivorian aircraft," he said, referring to viral photos of the white-and-orange jet emblazoned with "République de Côte d’Ivoire" landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on November 27.
The evacuation was not just a personal rescue but a microcosm of West Africa's interconnected security architecture. ECOWAS, under whose auspices Jonathan's mission operated, swiftly condemned the takeover as a "blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance." The regional bloc suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies, joining the AU in calling for the release of detainees and a return to constitutional order. Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed this, urging the military to protect international observers like Jonathan. In a joint statement, Jonathan, alongside AU mission head Filipe Nyusi and ECOWAS chief Issifu Kamara, decried the events as a "direct attempt to disrupt Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process."
Jonathan's clarification comes at a pivotal moment for Guinea-Bissau, a cocaine-trafficking hub with a history of nine coups since independence. He dismissed the incident as a "ceremonial coup," suggesting it was orchestrated by Embaló himself in a bizarre twist where the president announced the takeover before military figures claimed control.
"It was the President who announced the coup before a military man later came up to address the world that they were in charge," he said, calling it a "smokescreen" rather than a genuine military seizure. This assessment aligns with eyewitness reports of minimal widespread violence, though live rounds were fired near opposition leader homes, and airports were briefly shut.
The former president's composure during the crisis harks back to his 2015 concession in Nigeria's elections, a move that earned him global praise for prioritizing peace. Today, at 68, Jonathan remains a key player in African diplomacy, having mediated in Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe post-coups. His WAEF role, co-founded with figures like Kofi Annan, underscores his commitment to democratic transitions in a region where 10 coups have rocked the Sahel and West Africa since 2020.
In his interview, Jonathan's gratitude was effusive. "I sincerely appreciate Nigerians, and I want them to hear directly from my mouth to appreciate their concern," he said, addressing the cross-partisan solidarity that bridged divides from his People's Democratic Party (PDP) base to All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters. He reserved special thanks for Tinubu and Ouattara: "Secondly, to thank my president, President Tinubu, and the Ivorian president, President Ouattara." This nod to Tinubu, his political successor, quells speculation of lingering rivalries from the 2015 polls.
The episode exposes broader challenges for ECOWAS, strained by coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Nigeria, as the bloc's giant, faces scrutiny over its response times, with critics like Abiante arguing it highlights "institutional weaknesses." Yet, Jonathan's account reframes it as a success of multilateralism: two presidents mobilizing resources in hours, leveraging ties forged in forums like the African Union.
As Guinea-Bissau's crisis simmers — with borders reopening and elections in limbo — Jonathan's safe return offers a sliver of stability. Speaking from Abuja, he urged courage in leadership: "You don’t need to send soldiers; just announce who won. Let the world know the truth." His words, delivered with characteristic humility, remind West Africa that democracy's fragility demands vigilance, but solidarity can bridge the gaps.
The international community watches closely. The UN Security Council has called for dialogue, while the U.S. and EU have threatened sanctions. For Jonathan, the ordeal reinforces his post-presidency ethos: service beyond borders. "Leadership must be courageous," he concluded, a message echoing from Bissau's streets to Nigeria's halls of power.
