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Military authorities in Guinea-Bissau have reopened the country’s borders, 24 hours after seizing power and disrupting the electoral process in the coup-prone West African nation.
General Lansana Mansali, Inspector General of the Armed Forces, reversed Wednesday’s closure of all land, air, and sea entry points.
“All borders are now open,” they said.
The Eastern Updates reports that military authorities in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday declared that they had assumed full control of the country, announcing the suspension of all electoral activities and an immediate closure of national borders.
The announcement came amid heavy gunfire that rang out near the presidential palace earlier in the day, with men in military uniform taking over the main road leading to the building.
The head of the presidential military office, General Denis N’Canha, while addressing journalists on Thursday said a command composed of all branches of the armed forces, was taking over the leadership of the country until further notice.
N’Canha declared that he had uncovered a plan to destabilise the country involving national drug lords that had included the introduction of weapons into the country to alter the constitutional order.
Military authorities in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday declared that they had assumed full control of the country, announcing the suspension of all electoral activities and an immediate closure of national borders.
The development comes just three days after the nation conducted its legislative and presidential elections.
The declaration followed reports of heavy gunfire earlier in the day around the presidential palace in Bissau.
Witnesses said soldiers in uniform moved to secure the main access road leading to the palace, heightening tensions in the politically fragile West African state.
The announcement was delivered from the army headquarters in the capital, where senior military officers read out a statement confirming the takeover and outlining the steps being implemented as part of their control.
