Gunshots as Guinea-Bissau President 'Arrested' in Coup, Video Emerges
- Guinea-Bissau descended into political turmoil on November 26 as President Umaro Sissoco Embalo was allegedly arrested in what he described as a “coup d’état”
- Embalo, Guinea-Bissau's leader since February 27, 2020, disclosed that he was detained around 1pm local time in his office at the presidential palace in the capital city of Bissau
- Also reportedly taken into custody were the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan; deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Toure; and others
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering global affairs.
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau - President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau has disclosed that he was arrested today, Wednesday, November 26, in a “coup d’état”.
As reported by The Africa Report, Embalo told Jeune Afrique that he was detained around 1 pm while he was in his office at the presidential palace.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng recalls that the 2025 Bissau-Guinean presidential election took place on Sunday, November 23, and Embalo said he had won with 65% of the vote, by his own count.
Embalo's main challenger, Fernando Dias, also declared victory before the release of official results.
Both campaigns had claimed on Monday, November 24, that their contender exceeded the 50 percent threshold needed to win outright, eliminating the need for a run-off, Al Jazeera noted.
'Coup' erupts in Guinea-Bissau
Also arrested on Wednesday, November 26, were the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan; the deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Touré; and the interior minister, Botché Candé.
According to President Embalo, no force was used against him during the deposition, which he said was led by the army chief of staff.
A video purportedly showing Bissau-Guineans running helter-skelter for safety can be seen below:
Reuters quoted an eyewitness as saying:
"People are running everywhere."
Source: Twitter
Rival camp counters Embalo
Meanwhile, former prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira said he suspected Embalo was trying to simulate a coup so that he could declare an emergency, having determined he would be named the loser of the election. Pereira, who lost to Embalo in a contested runoff in 2019 and has backed Dias in this election, did not provide evidence for his claim.
Embalo said he has survived three coup attempts, but critics have accused him of manufacturing crises as an excuse for crackdowns.
The development comes amid concerns over rising coups in Africa, with pro-democracy stakeholders demanding urgent action.
Read more on Guinea-Bissau:
- Buhari receives Guinea-Bissau's highest honour, major road named after him
- Guinea-Bissau president, other African leaders who attended Buhari's burial, full list emerges
Guinea-Bissau foils pre-election coup
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Guinea-Bissau’s military said it foiled an alleged coup attempt just hours before election campaigning was due to begin.
Senior officers, including Brigadier General Daba Nawalna, were arrested in a coordinated overnight operation.
Authorities said the plot was aimed at disrupting the country’s November 2025 presidential and legislative elections.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
