Former President Goodluck Jonathan has returned to Abuja after he was evacuated from Guinea-Bissau following the outbreak of a army coup within the West African nation.
Jonathan arrived on the Nnamdi Azikiwe Worldwide Airport, Abuja, on Thursday.
The previous president was seen descending the steps of a Guinea-Bissau authorities plane on Thursday night time in a viral video, exhibiting a heat reception from a bunch of supporters.
Jonathan was in Guinea-Bissau as head of the West African Elders Discussion board Election Commentary Mission to watch final Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections earlier than Wednesday’s army motion to take away the federal government.
Heavy gunfire was reported close to the presidential palace, whereas troopers barricaded key entry factors within the capital.
Normal Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential army workplace, introduced {that a} command “composed of all branches of the armed forces” had assumed management of the nation “till additional discover.”
Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló advised France24 by cellphone, “I’ve been deposed.” AFP reported that he was inside a constructing close to the army headquarters “with the chief of employees and the minister of the inside.”
Each Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias had claimed victory in Sunday’s polls, with provisional outcomes anticipated on Thursday.
The army mentioned it had uncovered a plot involving “nationwide drug lords” and the importation of weapons “to change the constitutional order.”
By Thursday, the army introduced the reopening of the nation’s borders. “All borders at the moment are open,” Normal Lansana Mansali, Inspector Normal of the Armed Forces, advised AFP.
In a joint assertion on Wednesday, Filipe Nyusi, former president of Mozambique and head of the African Union Election Commentary Mission; Issifu Kamara, head of the ECOWAS Election Commentary Mission; and Jonathan condemned the coup, describing it as an try and derail Guinea-Bissau’s democratic course of.
Jonathan’s staff was nonetheless finishing up its project when the army introduced that it had taken management of the federal government.
Following studies that Jonathan was trapped, the Home of Representatives throughout Thursday’s plenary urged the Federal Authorities to deploy all diplomatic channels to safe the previous president’s secure return.
The Federal Authorities later issued an announcement confirming that Jonathan was secure and had left Guinea-Bissau.
“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may be very secure and out of Guinea-Bissau. He left with a particular flight with members of his delegation, together with Mohamed Chambas,” the spokesperson for the Ministry of International Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, advised journalists on Thursday.
