A nationwide curfew “until further notice” was announced by the elite troops who conducted an uprising in the capital of Guinea, as they also declared that the military will take over the regional governors.
In a statement broadcasted over national television, the soldiers also said that they would gather the cabinet ministers of President Alpha Conde along with the leading officials on Monday, at 11:00 GMT in Conakry.
Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya has read the soldiers’ commitment to bringing back democracy following the seizure of the state television.
“The duty of a soldier is to save the country,” the colonel said.
“The personalisation of political life is over. We will no longer entrust politics to one man, we will entrust it to the people,” he added, saying that the borders would be shut down for a week and both the government and constitution would be disintegrated.
Doumbouya claims that the measures will benefit the country and its 12.7 million population. As the Special Forces unit leader in the military, he noted the stagnation of the country’s economy since 1958, when it was liberated from France.
“If you see the state of our roads, if you see the state of our hospitals, you realise that after 72 years, it’s time to wake up,” he said. “We have to wake up.”
The defense ministry on late Sunday said that the uprising had been put off shortly. In a statement, it said that it has already resisted a group of attackers.
Earlier that day, unconfirmed videos that showed the President circled by soldiers made rounds on social media. His location remained unverified.
The video came after heavy gunfire was reported in Conakry near the palace of the president, Al Jazeera reported.
Regional and international observers alike expressed their concern and criticism over the events. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for one, spoke up and denounced “any takeover of the government by force”. He also demanded the urgent release of the President.
