The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it wass unaware of the whereabouts of former President Goodluck Jonathan and other African leaders deployed to Guinea-Bissau to monitor the country’s presidential election.
Jonathan and other African leaders were reported to have been trapped in Guinea-Bissau after the military announced the forceful takeover of power.
Guinea-Bissau’s military high command on Thursday inaugurated General Horta Nta as the head of the military government.
Nta was the army chief of staff until the coup and a close ally of deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo.
Election observers from the African Union and West African regional bloc ECOWAS, in a joint statement on Wednesday night expressing “deep concern” over the coup announcement, said officials in charge of the electoral process had been arrested and called for their immediate release.
Coup: Reps ask to facilitate Jonathan’s return from Guinea-Bissau
However, ECOWAS spokesperson, Joel Ahofodji, said Jonathan, who had been observing the election as part of the West African Elders Forum, was not reachable on Thursday.
“I wouldn’t say that he (Goodluck Jonathan) and others are trapped in Guinea-Bissau, but we don’t know his whereabouts,” Ahofodji told Reuters.
Edwin Snowe, a senator from Liberia who had been among a group of parliamentary observers, said he left the country on Tuesday and had been unable since Wednesday to reach fellow observers who were still there.
Snowe said: “We don’t intend for the military team of ECOWAS to intervene.
“What we are doing now is to encourage dialogue and return to democracy.”
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