CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinea's state radio broadcast a statement on Tuesday saying the country's constitution and government had been suspended, just hours after government leaders announced the death of President Lansana Conte.
Journalists at state radio headquarters contacted by Reuters said a group of soldiers had entered the building and forced staff to broadcast the communique.
The statement read on the air said a ruling council would be installed which would name a president in the coming days.
The council would also name a new prime minister and a government to fight corruption, the broadcast said.
The identity of the soldiers who made the broadcast was not immediately known and it was not immediately possible to establish whether other government locations and institutions had been taken over by the military.
Hours before, government leaders had announced the death from illness of President Conte, leaving a potential power vacuum in the West African bauxite exporter he had ruled with an iron fist for nearly 25 years.
(For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http:/africa.reuters.com/)
(Reporting by Saliou Samb; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)
