• Guinea-Bissau's military rulers have banned protests ahead of ECOWAS talks.
• ECOWAS seeks to restore constitutional order following a disputed presidential election.
• No breakthroughs were achieved in recent high-level discussions about the coup.
• Nigeria has provided protection for an opposition leader amid threats to his life.
• The UN has strongly condemned the coup, calling for the release of detained officials.

The military rulers of Guinea-Bissau have instituted a ban on protests and strikes, tightening their grip on power following a military coup that occurred after a contentious presidential election. This directive was announced just before a high-profile visit from a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), tasked with urging a return to constitutional order. The military government claimed the coup was necessary to thwart threats to democracy, sparking criticism from regional leaders who condemned the takeover as a "sham" and an undue violation of the electoral process, according to Reuters and Africanews.

An ECOWAS delegation led by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio visited Bissau for mediation talks but concluded without a definitive resolution. The mission's goal was to restore constitutional order and facilitate a return to civilian governance. The discussions acknowledged the ongoing tensions but reiterated the importance of upholding electoral integrity and reinstating ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who has fled the country following his detention. The interim military government has responded by forming a transitional cabinet largely composed of allies of the deposed leader, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.