The Federal Government has strongly denounced the military coup in Guinea-Bissau, warning that the development poses a grave threat to democracy and stability across West Africa.
In a statement released on Thursday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said Nigeria received the news “with profound dismay and deep concern,” insisting the military takeover amounts to an unconstitutional change of government.
According to the statement, Nigeria “condemns this act of military insurrection which undermines democratic progress, constitutional order, and stability not only in Guinea-Bissau but across the entire West African sub-region.”
It added that the coup represents a clear violation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which forbids any seizure of power through unconstitutional means.
The Federal Government expressed solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau and called for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order, including the safety of all detained officials and the protection of democratic institutions.
Nigeria also urged the authorities to secure the safety of foreign election observers still in the country.
“The Nigerian Government calls on the authorities in Guinea-Bissau to ensure and guarantee the safety of all election observers on official assignment,” the statement read.
Calling for calm, the government appealed to all parties to avoid violence and respect the democratic process.
It stressed that “all actors must exercise restraint, prioritise dialogue, and respect the will of the people as expressed through the ballots and the peaceful conclusion of the election process.”
Nigeria further warned that the masterminds of the coup would face consequences for actions that could “plunge the nation into chaos and reverse hard-won democratic gains.”
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic governance across the continent, the government pledged to work closely with ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners to ensure the swift restoration of civilian rule in Guinea-Bissau.
The condemnation comes as AU and ECOWAS election observers also rejected the military’s declaration, describing it as an attempt to derail the country’s democratic transition.
Guinea-Bissau was thrown into turmoil on Wednesday after military officers announced they had taken “total control” of the country, shutting borders and suspending the electoral process just days after general elections. Heavy gunfire was reported near the presidential palace, while armed soldiers blocked key access routes.
General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential military office, declared that a joint command of the armed forces was assuming leadership “until further notice.”
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, considered a frontrunner in the vote, confirmed to France24 that he had been deposed.
Both Embalo and opposition candidate Fernando Dias had already claimed victory, with provisional results expected Thursday before the coup halted the process.
The military claimed it uncovered a plot involving “national drug lords” and illegal weapons seeking to destabilise the country. Following the coup announcement, a curfew was imposed, media broadcasts were suspended, and electoral activities were halted. The National Electoral Commission later reported an attack by armed men.
More than 6,700 security personnel, including members of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Force, had been deployed for the elections amid longstanding political tensions.
The 2025 polls excluded the major PAIGC party and its leader, Domingos Simoes Pereira, after the Supreme Court declared their submissions late — a move critics described as deliberate manipulation.
Embalo has been ruling by decree since dissolving the opposition-dominated parliament in 2023, and opponents have argued that his presidential mandate expired on February 27.
Guinea-Bissau, long plagued by political instability, has witnessed four successful coups and several attempts since independence.
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