Reps demand Jonathan’s immediate evacuation from coup-hit Guinea-Bissau

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to urgently deploy diplomatic and security channels to secure the safe return of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who remains trapped in Guinea-Bissau after a military takeover in the country.

Jonathan had travelled to Bissau as part of a joint African Union, ECOWAS and West African Elders Forum mission to observe last weekend’s presidential election. However, events took a dramatic turn when soldiers seized power and halted the electoral process.

The matter came up during Thursday’s plenary after Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu alerted lawmakers to what he described as a pressing national concern.

House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, who formally briefed the chamber, emphasised that Jonathan was not in the country on a private visit but on an internationally sanctioned observer mission. He highlighted the former president’s long-standing role as a respected election monitor for organisations such as ECOWAS, the AU, the Commonwealth and the Nigerian government.

“Former President Jonathan is currently in Guinea-Bissau due to the sudden coup. While we are not debating the coup itself, the safety of a former Nigerian leader is a matter of national importance,” Ihonvbere told lawmakers. He also noted that relevant government agencies were already taking preliminary steps to ensure Jonathan’s protection and evacuation.

Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda backed the move, describing Jonathan as a global symbol of democracy whose wellbeing must not be compromised. He, however, underscored the need to extend the same urgency to all Nigerians caught up in the crisis.

“We must ensure that the concern we express for him is also extended to every other Nigerian, whether at home or abroad,” Chinda said.

The House overwhelmingly adopted the motion, urging the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic engagement with regional and international partners to guarantee Jonathan’s safe return, while prioritising the rescue of other nationals stranded in Bissau.

Political tensions in Guinea-Bissau escalated sharply on Wednesday when General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, announced that a joint command of the armed forces had taken control of the country “until further notice.” The junta also suspended the electoral process and shut the nation’s borders.

Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, widely tipped to win Sunday’s polls, was reported to be inside a secured building behind military headquarters alongside the chief of staff and the interior minister, according to AFP.