Former President Goodluck Jonathan has briefed President Bola Tinubu on the recent military takeover in Guinea-Bissau, describing the coup as one that appeared to be carefully orchestrated.
Jonathan met with Tinubu on Saturday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to report on developments in the West African nation, where he had been leading the ECOWAS election monitoring mission before soldiers seized power.
Recounting his experience, Jonathan said the manner in which the coup unfolded raised questions, noting that the ousted leader, President Umaro Embaló, was the one who publicly announced the takeover.
Following the intervention of President Tinubu, Jonathan and members of his delegation were eventually evacuated from Guinea-Bissau. He disclosed that an aircraft sent by the Ivorian government arrived to airlift him shortly before Nigeria’s evacuation plane became available.
The former president said Côte d’Ivoire had already concluded plans to fly him out using its presidential jet, while Nigerian authorities were also making arrangements at the same time.
Jonathan had been stranded in the country after the coup, a situation that reignited concerns over Nigeria’s slow diplomatic response in protecting a former head of state and ECOWAS envoy, especially when compared to the swift action taken by Abidjan.
Embaló, who became president in February 2020 after serving as prime minister between 2016 and 2018, was toppled in what is now the ninth coup since Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portugal in 1974. The last successful military takeover before this occurred in 2012.
The deposed leader had survived earlier coup attempts in 2022 and 2023, while reports had also emerged of another plot against his government in late October 2025.
