Key Points
- Jonathan cannot leave the country right now due to curfew. Hundreds of foreign observers are stranded at the airport.
- Coup leaders claim they have total control of state. They suspend the vote and close all borders.
- President Embalo says he has been deposed and detained. Opposition leader Pereira is reported arrested by the military.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan is trapped in Guinea Bissau after officers seized power.
Hundreds of people rushed to the airport and now cannot leave the country. Some reports say foreign observers stranded at airport remain at the terminal.
Coup leaders announce takeover
The officers called themselves the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order. They said they had taken full control of state bodies and functions.
The commanders ordered the immediate suspension of the electoral process until further notice. They also closed land, air and sea borders and set a curfew.
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo told France24 he had been deposed earlier today. He said he was at the general staff headquarters under guard.
Borders closed and observers stranded
International staff and observers face strict travel curbs and limited movement. The military statement military closure and curfew order gives few details on exit plans.
Diplomats and foreign ministries are seeking safe corridors for evacuation talks. Some embassies are urging nationals to stay indoors until flights resume.
Local sources say the main opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira was arrested. Other political figures were also detained during early raids by security forces.
The electoral commission had not released official results before the takeover. Both leading candidates had privately claimed victory before officials declared results.
For now many foreign visitors, including Goodluck Jonathan, remain in the capital.
Diplomats say they are pressing for safe exits and are in talks.
International organisations urged calm and called for talks to restore order. Neighbouring states and the African Union monitor the situation closely
