Guinea-Bissau plunged into military takeover as president is apprehended
A coalition of senior military officers has announced that they have assumed command of Guinea-Bissau, following widespread reports that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has been taken into custody.
Not long after bursts of gunfire echoed across the capital, Bissau, official sources informed the BBC that the president had been apprehended.
The officers later appeared on national television, declaring the suspension of the electoral process as the nation awaited the final outcome of Sunday’s presidential vote.
According to their broadcast, the intervention was intended to derail an alleged scheme by unidentified political actors—said to be backed by a notorious drug kingpin—to plunge the country into chaos. They further announced an immediate border shutdown and the introduction of a night-time curfew.
Wedged between Senegal and Guinea, the politically volatile nation has long carried the reputation of being a major drug-trafficking corridor, with the military retaining considerable influence since independence from Portugal in 1974.
Election results had been expected on Thursday, with both Embaló and his main challenger, Fernando Dias, proclaiming victory. Dias was openly supported by former Prime Minister Domingos Pereira, who had been disqualified from contesting.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Embaló told France 24 by phone, “I have been overthrown.”
Government insiders have since informed the BBC that Dias, Pereira, and Interior Minister Botché Candé have also been detained.
The coup leaders are also said to have placed the army chief, Gen. Biague Na Ntan, and his deputy, Gen. Mamadou Touré, under arrest.
In a joint declaration, heads of election-monitoring missions from the African Union and the West African bloc, Ecowas, expressed “grave concern” over the military’s proclamation of a coup.
They noted that the country had been poised for the publication of results following what they described as a “calm and orderly” electoral process.
“It is deeply unfortunate that this announcement emerged just after our engagements with the two leading candidates, who had both affirmed their readiness to respect the verdict of the people,” the statement read.
Earlier in the day, witnesses in Bissau reported hearing gunfire around 13:00 GMT, though the individuals involved and any casualties were initially unknown.
Hundreds of residents, both on foot and in vehicles, fled in search of safety as the shots echoed across the city, according to AFP.
Later, General Denis N’Canha, head of the presidential palace’s military unit, delivered a televised declaration confirming the takeover. He stated that the officers had constituted “the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and urged citizens to “remain composed.”
Security checkpoints have since been installed throughout the city, and the streets were largely empty as the 19:00 GMT curfew approached.
Portugal has called for an immediate reinstatement of constitutional rule, with its foreign ministry appealing to all actors to avoid any form of institutional or civic violence.
The former Portuguese territory has witnessed at least nine coups or attempted coups over the last fifty years.
Embaló has previously claimed to have survived several coup attempts during his tenure, though critics argue he has exaggerated threats to justify suppressing opposition.
The 53-year-old had hoped to become the only president in three decades to win a consecutive second term. Although he had earlier stated he would not seek re-election, his mandate was already under dispute, with opposition groups insisting his term should have officially expired in February 2025.
Guinea-Bissau remains one of the world’s poorest nations, home to over two million people.
Its coastline, scattered with uninhabited islands, has made it a strategic haven for international drug networks. The United Nations has described the country as a “narco-state,” serving as a major transit point for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe.
Source: Araba Sey
