Guinea-Bissau’s president, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, has been seized by a group of military officers after they went on state TV, announcing the suspension of the electoral process, as the West African nation awaited the outcome of the just ended presidential election.
They announced the closure of the West African country’s borders and imposed a night-time curfew.
The election results were expected on Thursday as both Embaló and his closest rival Fernando Dias had claimed victory but both men, including Interior Minister Botché Candé have been detained.
The army chief Gen Biague Na Ntan and his deputy, Gen Mamadou Touré are also in custody too.
In a joint statement, leaders of election observation missions from the African Union and the West African bloc Ecowas expressed “deep concern with the announcement of a coup d’etat by the armed forces”.
They said the country had been prepared for the announcement of the election results after what it described as an “orderly and peaceful” process.
“It’s regrettable that this announcement came at a time when the missions had just concluded meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people,” they said.
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