Fighting started when members of the National Guard forcefully took out Suleimane Seide, the minister of economy and finance, and António Monteiro, the secretary of state for the Treasury, from the prison where they were being held.

After being freed by army personnel today, the two ministers were forced to return to their Judiciary Police (PJ) cells.

A military source claimed, “A military detachment from the Army and the Presidential Guard carried out the operation, which involved attacking the National Guard Command and apprehending its Commander Victor Na Tchongo as a result.”

There have been reports of fatalities from the clashes; however, confirmation of this is still pending.

At the conclusion of the day on Thursday, November 30, the Public Ministry had taken the Secretary of State for the Treasury, António Monteiro, and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Suleimane Seide, into custody.

After a hearing lasting about six hours on the repayment of a debt of $10 million owed to a group of businesspeople via one of the nation’s commercial banks, the arrest occurred.

The two government officials were held “so as not to disturb the ongoing investigation,” according to a Public Ministry source.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office began a search and seizure operation at the Ministry of Finance last Friday, the 24th, allegedly in response to a complaint regarding the payment of over $10 million to a group of businessmen as a portion of the debt that the state owes to certain business sector agents.