Military Seizes Control in Guinea-Bissau; President Arrested
TEC News| 27th November, 2025.
Soldiers in Guinea‑Bissau have announced that they have seized power, declaring the formation of a “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order.” They made the announcement on state television after widespread gunfire was reported across the capital city, Bissau.
The takeover took place just days after a contested presidential election, in which both the incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló and rival Fernando Dias da Costa claimed victory. The main opposition party had earlier been disqualified, fueling tensions.
Gunfire erupted near the election commission building around 13:00 GMT, with shots also heard around other government sites. Witnesses described chaos as residents fled in fear.
In their announcement, the military urged citizens to remain calm, suspended the ongoing electoral process and declared that they would govern “until further notice.”
Guinea-Bissau, which gained independence from Portugal in 1974, has now experienced nine coups or coup attempts since then.
Studies indicates that Since 1950, roughly 45 out of Africa’s 54 countries have experienced at least one coup attempt. Over the same period, there have been around 220 coups and coup attempts across Africa, nearly half of all such coups worldwide. Of these, approximately 109 were successful.
