Former President Goodluck Jonathan is among African leaders currently stranded in Guinea-Bissau following a military takeover announced on Wednesday.
Mr Jonathan is part of a 36-member joint election observation mission from the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), which was deployed to monitor the presidential election held on Sunday.
The military took control after both incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his main challenger, Fernando Dias, declared victory despite the electoral commission not releasing official results.
Soldiers subsequently assumed control of state institutions, imposed an overnight curfew and closed all land, air and sea borders.
In a joint statement, the election observers said they were “deeply concerned” about the military intervention.
“It’s regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people,” the statement reads.
The observers called on the AU and ECOWAS to take urgent steps to restore constitutional order and demanded the immediate release of all detained officials.
The delegation is scheduled to depart Guinea-Bissau on November 29, though it is unclear whether the airport shutdown will affect their exit.
