A top government source has confirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is safe in Guinea-Bissau following the country’s recent military takeover.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Thursday, stated that plans for his return to Nigeria are in the works.
According to the source, a multinational task force, including Nigerian personnel, is present in Guinea-Bissau to ensure Jonathan and other Nigerian officials’ safety.
“Nigeria is taking the necessary steps to ensure their security and facilitate their return,” the source stated.
Earlier, the Federal Government condemned the coup and demanded the quick restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.
Jonathan is one of several African politicians who are currently trapped in Guinea-Bissau following the country’s coup d’état.
He is one of 36 high-profile observers on the African Union’s (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and West African Elders Forum (WAEF) joint mission to Guinea-Bissau to oversee the presidential election on Sunday.
However, military forces in Guinea-Bissau declared “total control” of the coup-prone West African country on Wednesday, barring its borders and stopping the voting process three days after the general election.
The military took over after President Umaro Embaló, who is running for re-election, and his primary opponent, Fernando Dias, declared themselves winners of the presidential election despite the fact that the electoral commission had yet to disclose official results.
