Guinea-Bissau Plunges Into Turmoil as Coup Leaders Install New Strongman

Guinea-Bissau spiralled into its most dramatic power shift in years on Wednesday after mutinous soldiers stormed key state institutions overnight and installed Major General Adilson Fonseca as the Country’s new strongman barely a day after toppling President Umaro Sissoco Embaló in a lightning coup.

The coup, described by diplomats as “ferocious and meticulously planned,” erupted late Tuesday when factions within the Presidential Guard broke ranks and launched coordinated assaults on the Presidential Palace, National Radio, and key Military Command Centres across Bissau.

A Night of Gunfire, Fear and Power Seizure
Residents in the Capital reported hours of deafening gunfire and explosions, with Military trucks roaring through the streets as rebels loyal to Fonseca encircled the Government district. By dawn, smoke hovered above parts of Bissau, and loyalist units had been overwhelmed.

At 6:42 a.m., State Radio abruptly switched from regular programming to martial music before a masked Soldier announced:

“The Armed Forces have assumed full responsibility for safeguarding the Nation.”

Minutes later, Soldiers escorted Maj. Gen. Fonseca, 54, into the Amura Barracks parade ground, where he was declared “President of the Transitional Military Command.”

Coup Leaders Justify Their Move
Speaking on National Television, coup spokesperson Lt. Col. Braima Djalo accused the Embaló Government of “systemic corruption, abuse of power, and betrayal of Military ethics.” He claimed the coup was necessary to “reset the republic and prevent the total collapse of National cohesion.”

Sources within the Military say Officers had been angered by a series of controversial appointments within the Security sector, deepening already fragile relationships between rival barracks.

Where Is President Embaló?
President Embaló reportedly escaped through a back route in the palace and is believed to be under protection in a neighbouring Country after being ferried out during the night by loyal bodyguards. A close aide described the coup as “a brutal ambush with clear foreign sponsorship,” though offered no evidence.

Regional Powers on High Alert
The coup triggered shockwaves across West Africa, prompting ECOWAS to hold an emergency virtual summit. The bloc threatened severe sanctions, including border closures and financial restrictions, unless Fonseca’s junta restores civilian rule immediately.

The African Union echoed the alarm, demanding the unconditional release of detained Ministers, including Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Marciano Barros, who was captured in the early hours of the coup.

Neighbouring Senegal and Guinea moved troops closer to their borders amid fears of spillover instability, while hundreds of frightened Bissau residents sought refuge near International organisations and foreign embassies.

Who Is General Fonseca?
Maj. Gen. Adilson Fonseca is a battle-tested commander with deep roots in the Country’s fractured armed forces. Formerly head of the Northern Military Region, he has long been rumoured to harbour political ambitions. Analysts say he commands loyalty from mid-ranking officers who feel sidelined by Embaló’s reforms.

International observers warn that Fonseca’s rise may usher in a new era of militarised Governance in a Country long trapped between crime networks, political rivalries, and military factions.

A Nation Caught in an Endless Loop
Guinea-Bissau, with a population of just over 2 million, has endured more than 10 coups and attempted coups since independence in 1974—one of the highest rates in the world. The latest upheaval reignites fears that the Country may again slide into prolonged instability.

For now, Bissau’s streets remain heavily guarded, phone lines intermittently disrupted, and the junta appears firmly in control.