Guinea-Bissau authorities have arrested opposition lawmaker Flavio Batica Ferreira during a mystical ceremony allegedly linked to a coup plot, a security source revealed.
Ferreira, who holds both Bissau-Guinean and French nationality, was detained near the border with Guinea-Conakry alongside a self-proclaimed supernatural seer and two others.
The arrest took place on Sunday during what officials described as a “sacrifice ritual” aimed at increasing the chances of a successful coup attempt.
While security forces claim to be on high alert for potential uprisings, human rights advocates argue the arrest may be politically motivated.
Abubacar Ture of the Bissau-Guinean Human Rights League suggested Ferreira’s detention was suspicious, noting the lawmaker had previously warned his family about threats to his security.
Authorities have not officially disclosed the reasons behind Ferreira’s arrest, and the Interior Ministry declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
Ferreira is a member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which is currently in a fierce political battle with President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
The PAIGC insists Embaló’s presidential term ends on February 27, while the Supreme Court has ruled it extends until September 4.
The dispute follows Embaló’s December 2023 decision to dissolve the opposition-dominated parliament after what he claimed was a foiled coup attempt.
Since then, the president has delayed legislative elections indefinitely, further deepening the country’s political crisis.
Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has faced repeated coups since declaring independence from Portugal in 1973.
