Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau appeared Wednesday on state television saying they have taken control of the country.
In a statement, the military high command said it had “assumed the full powers of the State of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau”.
It said this was in reaction to “the discovery of an ongoing plan” aiming to destabilise the country by attempting to “manipulate electoral results”.
The military’s announcement came a day after both the top candidates in last week’s tightly contested presidential election declared victory.
Earlier in the day, shots were heard at several sites in the capital, Bissau, including the presidential palace, although it’s unclear who was responsible.
Military spokesperson, Dinis N’Tchama, said the soldiers had formed “the high military command for the restoration of order”, which would rule the country until further notice.
“To suspend, until new orders, all of the institutions of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, to suspend, until new orders, the activities of all media outlets, to immediately suspend the current electoral process, to close the land border, by sea and national airspace,” he said.
