Africa

Gunfire Erupts in Guinea-Bissau Capital

Gunfire erupted in the capital of Guinea-Bissau on Friday morning following an attempt by National Guard soldiers to free a detained minister and a senior state official. The National Guard members initially took the officials into custody before seeking refuge in barracks south of the capital.

Efforts to negotiate a resolution failed, leading to the intervention of special forces and an ensuing exchange of gunfire. Eventually, calm was restored later in the day.

The detained individuals, Finance Minister Souleiman Seidi and Secretary of State for the Treasury Antonio Monteiro were under investigation for the alleged irregular withdrawal of $10 million (£8 million) of state funds. An anti-corruption investigation had questioned them the day before regarding payments made to 11 companies.

During a parliamentary session earlier in the week, the leader of the main opposition party claimed that the companies’ owners had close ties to the country’s governing coalition leaders. Mr. Seidi defended the payments as legal.

After Thursday’s questioning, both Seidi and Monteiro were arrested and detained to avoid jeopardising the ongoing investigations, according to local media reports. Later that evening, National Guard soldiers reportedly stormed the police cells near Bandim market, armed with AK-47 weapons and bazookas, and freed the detained officials, taking them to an undisclosed location.

President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who is currently attending the UN’s COP28 climate conference in Dubai, was not present during the incident. In response to the situation, regional stabilisation forces deployed by the West African bloc, Ecowas, were observed patrolling the streets on Friday morning, as reported by the AFP news agency.

Guinea-Bissau has a history of coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. In February of the previous year, the president claimed to have survived a coup attempt linked to drug trafficking, although details remained unclear, leading to skepticism and unanswered questions about the events surrounding the incident.

Mimi Mefo Info

Evelyn Ndi

Recent Posts

Cameroonians Among 11 Arrested in Nairobi Over Multi-Million Gold Scam

Detectives in Nairobi have arrested 11 suspects, including two Cameroonian nationals. They were arrested in…

4 hours ago

In Pictures – Labour Day 2025 Celebrated with Colour and Call for Rights in Bamenda

The 139th edition of International Labour Day was marked in Bamenda with a vibrant display…

5 hours ago

Traoré Thanks Supporters as Mass Rallies Reject Foreign Interference

Burkina Faso’s president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has expressed his gratitude to supporters around the world…

5 hours ago

Fako Trade Unions Decry Non-payment of Salaries at Labour Day Celebration

Some trade unions in Fako Division, South West Region, are urging for better working conditions…

9 hours ago

Bokwaongo Royal Family Rejects Njie Mbonde’s Designation as Chief

By Tata Mbunwe The designation of journalist Albert Njie Mbonde as Chief of Bokwaongo village…

10 hours ago

Menka Village Responds to Separatist Attacks: Kidnapping and Recovery of Stolen Equipment

Youths in Menka, a village in the Pinyin area of Cameroon’s North West Region, have…

11 hours ago