Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president, Army General Horta Inta-a, has ordered military personnel still keeping weapons at home to surrender them, while warning soldiers against taking orders outside the official chain of command.
Horta Inta-a made the remarks on Wednesday, October 7, at the Presidential Palace in Bissau after the graduation ceremony of newly promoted general officers. It was his first public explanation of the ongoing disarmament and redeployment of military personnel who had previously been stationed at the presidency under ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
The transitional leader said the former presidential military structure had operated in a disorganised manner and that its personnel were now being integrated into other units of the Armed Forces.
He insisted, however, that the affected soldiers had not been suspended from the military.
“The mobility of elements of the defense and security forces is a normal process within our structures. Those who have not yet been transferred must await the new placement process. No one has been suspended from the Armed Forces,” he said.
Warning over weapons and parallel orders
Horta Inta-a said some of the military personnel still have weapons in their homes and called on their commanders to persuade them to surrender the weapons voluntarily.
He warned that those who refuse could face disciplinary measures and other sanctions under military regulations.
The transitional president also called for strict adherence to the military chain of command, urging officers not to respond to “parallel or hidden orders.”
His remarks appeared aimed at reinforcing the authority of the transitional military leadership over a security structure that had been closely associated with Embaló before he was removed from power in the November 26, 2025 coup.
Horta Inta-a said greater cohesion and institutional organization within the Armed Forces were necessary to guarantee security and stability in Guinea-Bissau.
Senior officers promoted
The ceremony also saw the promotion of several senior military officers.
Major-General Tomás Djassi, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and president of the National Transition Council, was promoted to Army General. Major-General Samuel Fernandes, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, was elevated to Lieutenant-General, while Captain-at-Sea José Pogna, Inspector-General of the Armed Forces, was promoted to Rear Admiral.
Brigadier General Baute Iamta Na Man, Chief of Staff of the Army, was promoted to Major General, alongside Brigadier General Ioba Embaló, president of the Superior Military Court, and Brigadier General Dinis Ncanha, Chief of the Military House of the Presidency.
Colonel Fabian Sagna, head of the Counterintelligence and Military Intelligence Division; Colonel Aliu Baldé, deputy chief of staff of the Air Force; and Colonel Amadu Bari, deputy chief of staff of the Army, were all promoted to Brigadier General.
Horta Inta-a urged the newly promoted officers to exercise their responsibilities with “a sense of responsibility, dedication, and commitment to the country,” stressing that the interests of Guinea-Bissau must take precedence over personal interests.
The transitional president also appealed for greater unity among the population, arguing that confrontation and division would not contribute to the country’s development.
His call for discipline and unity comes as the military authorities reshape the security and political structures established after the removal of Embaló, with Guinea-Bissau preparing for elections scheduled for December.
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