The soldiers gave an address on state TV, Photo Credit: AFP via Getty Images
• President, top govt members under arrest
From our news desk, Benin
After a wave of successful military coups in Mali 2021, in Burkina Faso, September 2022, and Niger in 2023 including other nations in Africa recently, Guinea-Bissau have joined the growing numbers.
The military in the small West African country on Wednesday, 26 November, 2025 announced the forced takeover of power after the President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, was arrested including some top members of his government.
Other African countries that have experienced recent military coups include Gabon, Chad, Guinea, Sudan, and Madagascar. These coups have contributed to a “coup belt” across the continent, commentators say.
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A group of military officers reportedly announced they have seized control of Guinea-Bissau amid speculation of the arrest of the president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Shortly after gunshots were heard in the capital, Bissau, government sources were quoted to have told the BBC that Embaló had been detained.
The Military juntas appeared on state TV, saying they had suspended the electoral process and would be in charge until further notice.
The West African nation had its Presidential election on Sunday, 23 November, 2025 and results were being awaited with the main opposition candidate disqualified from running, it was said.
Though results were expected to have been released on Thursday; 27 November, 2025; both Embaló and his closest rival Fernando Dias have claimed victory.
Late on Wednesday afternoon, 26 November, 2025 Embaló was said to have told France 24 in a phone call: “I have been deposed!”
Witnesses in Bissau claimed to have heard gunfire earlier on, at around 13:00 GMT, but it was not immediately clear who was involved in the shooting or if there were any casualties, they said.
Hundreds of people on foot and in vehicles fled, seeking shelter as the shots rang out, the AFP news agency reported.
Later on, General Denis N’Canha, Head of the military household at the presidential palace, read out a statement declaring a takeover.
According to reports, he said officers had formed “the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and closed the border.
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló Corbis via Getty Images Embaló was elected in December 2019
Gen. N’Canha was said to have appealed to the people to “remain calm”.
Also taken into detention by the junta, were the president’s army staff and a number of ministers, reliable inside sources were quoted to have said.
Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in the world, has seen nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.
Embaló has said he has survived multiple coup attempts during his time in office. But his critics allege he has fabricated crises in order to crack down on dissent.
Guinea-Bissau is said to be having a population of just under two million people and has been called a “narco-state” by the UN, due to its role as a key transit point in trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
Source: BBC
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