JUST IN: HEAVY TENSION IN GUINEA-BISSAU AS PRESIDENT EMBALÓ IS REPORTEDLY DETAINED BY MILITARY OFFICERS AMID POST-ELECTION UNCERTAINTY

Political tension escalated sharply in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday following emerging reports that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was taken into custody by senior military officers, plunging the country into yet another chapter of uncertainty just days after a fiercely contested general election.

According to accounts published by The Africa Report, Embaló revealed in an interview with Jeune Afrique that he was apprehended at about 1:00 p.m. while carrying out official duties inside the presidential palace. He reportedly said the military operation involved no physical force but amounted to a coordinated takeover linked to the country’s top military command.

Sources cited in the same report indicated that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan, his deputy, General Mamadou Touré, and the Minister of Interior, Botché Candé, were also arrested. The sweeping detentions have intensified concerns of an unfolding military intervention at a sensitive political moment.

The development comes as Guinea-Bissau awaits the official declaration of results from Sunday’s national polls. Both President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias have already claimed victory, heightening fears of a potential political deadlock that could further destabilize the country.

Residents living around the presidential precinct reported hearing sporadic gunfire on Wednesday afternoon, fueling speculation that a full-scale military takeover may be underway. Local eyewitnesses and social media footage also pointed to unusual troop movements around major government facilities.

Guinea-Bissau, a nation long marked by coups, attempted coups and recurring political friction, now finds itself on the brink of renewed instability. Regional bodies and international partners are yet to release official reactions, even as citizens and observers brace for what may unfold in the com ing hours.