Former President Goodluck Jonathan has arrived back in Nigeria after being caught up in a military coup in Guinea-Bissau.

Jonathan touched down at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja late Thursday night, two days after soldiers seized power in the West African country. The former president was in Guinea-Bissau to monitor their presidential and parliamentary elections. He was leading the West African Elders Forum observation team.

Jonathan’s team, along with observers from the African Union and ECOWAS, were still monitoring the election when the military took over. This left Jonathan and his team stranded, raising fears about their safety.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Jonathan left Guinea-Bissau safely on a special flight with his delegation.

“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very safe and out of Guinea-Bissau,” ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said. “He left with a special flight with members of his delegation, including Ibn Chambas.”

General Denis N’Canha announced that a command made up of all military branches had taken over leadership of Guinea-Bissau. The army chief of staff, General Horta N’Tam, has been named the country’s new leader for one year. However, President Embalo, who was expected to win Sunday’s election, is now in military custody.

The Nigerian government has condemned the coup and called for democracy to be restored in Guinea-Bissau. “The Federal Government of Nigeria, in the strongest possible terms, condemns this act of military insurrection,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the coup violates ECOWAS rules on democracy and threatens stability across West Africa. Therefore, Nigeria is calling for constitutional order to be restored immediately, for detained persons to be released, and for democratic institutions to be respected in Guinea-Bissau.