THIS DAWN — The Federal Government, under the oversight of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is facing intense public criticism after prominent broadcaster and Arise News analyst, Rufai Oseni, condemned Nigeria’s failure to evacuate former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during the recent coup situation in Guinea-Bissau.
In a statement posted on X, Oseni expressed shock and embarrassment that Ivory Coast, rather than Nigeria, deployed an aircraft to extract Jonathan.
Jonathan was reportedly caught in the middle of the political upheaval.
Oseni expressed disgust that, despite Nigeria’s longstanding reputation as the “giant of Africa”, it took the Ivorian government to rescue the former president.
Oseni wrote: “Ivory Coast brought back Jonathan. When the coup happened we were aware Jonathan was stuck.
“It’s a terrible sight to see Ivory Coast jet bring back President Jonathan when we claim Nigeria is the giant of Africa.”
His comments sparked widespread outrage online.
Civic groups, policy analysts, and citizens questioned Nigeria’s capacity to protect its former leaders and assert its diplomatic strength on the continent.
Public Backlash Over Nigeria’s ‘Embarrassing Hesitation’
Critics argue that Jonathan, a former Head of State and ECOWAS envoy, should have been immediately evacuated by Nigeria’s presidential or military fleet the moment instability was reported.
That Ivory Coast acted faster has been described as a diplomatic humiliation for Nigeria.
Several commentators insisted that the incident reflects deeper issues within Nigeria’s foreign policy establishment.
Such issues include slow emergency response coordination and weakening regional influence.
Analysts also questioned why the Nigerian Air Force or the Presidential Air Fleet did not intervene, especially given Jonathan’s role in regional peacekeeping efforts.
Civil Society Demands Explanation from FG
Human rights groups and foreign policy experts are now calling on the Federal Government to address:
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Why Nigeria failed to deploy an aircraft for Jonathan’s extraction
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Whether there were communication breakdowns between Abuja and ECOWAS
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What measures exist to protect current and former Nigerian leaders abroad
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Whether the incident signals Nigeria’s declining leadership role in West Africa
Some organisations described the situation as “an embarrassment that should never be repeated.”
A Blow to Nigeria’s Regional Image
Observers note that the incident may reinforce perceptions that Nigeria’s diplomatic and security influence in West Africa has weakened in recent years, even as smaller nations move with more confidence and efficiency.
As public pressure mounts, Nigerians await the Federal Government’s official explanation for what many see as an avoidable national embarrassment.
