Gunfire echoed across Bissau Bissau on Wednesday as military officers in Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau announced a full takeover of the country, suspending the electoral process and declaring “total control” amid a tense, disputed presidential vote.
In a televised statement, the officers ordered the immediate halt of all election activities, the closure of land, air and sea borders, and the imposition of an overnight curfew “until further notice,” deepening fears of a prolonged political crisis.
According to Al Jazeera Al Jazeera, the declaration followed heavy gunfire near key state institutions, including the election commission headquarters, the presidential palace and the interior ministry. Results from Sunday’s presidential election—contested by incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition challenger Fernando Dias Fernando Dias—had been scheduled for release on Thursday, with both candidates already claiming victory.
Reporting from Senegal, Al Jazeera correspondent Nicolas Haque Nicolas Haque said Embaló’s whereabouts initially remained unclear. “The presidential palace is heavily guarded … and the military is definitely in charge of the country today,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BBC BBC reported that EmbalĂł had been arrested by armed men in the capital, a development that further escalates concerns about stability following the disputed poll. Witnesses said gunfire rang out around 1 p.m. local time, though details of who was involved in the confrontation remain uncertain.
Embaló later confirmed his arrest to Jeune Afrique Jeune Afrique, stating that he was detained on Wednesday, November 26, at the presidential palace. Also taken into custody were Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Biaguê Na Ntan Biaguê Na Ntan, Deputy Chief of Staff General Mamadou Touré Mamadou Touré, and Interior Minister Botché Candé Botché Candé.
The outgoing president described the events as a “coup d’état,” alleging it was orchestrated by the army chief of staff, though he noted that no force was used during his detention.
The military’s takeover marks another volatile chapter for the West African nation, which has grappled with repeated political upheavals and power struggles over the past two decades.