Gabonese Deposed President Under House Arrest -Military
A group of army officers in the central African nation of Gabon say they have removed President Ali Bongo from office and placed him under house arrest.
The officers announced their coup early Wednesday morning on national television channel Gabon 24, just moments after the nation’s election commission had announced that Bongo had won a third term in Saturday’s general elections.
The officers said that the election results were invalidated, all state institutions dissolved and all borders closed until further notice.
“We have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” one of the officers said.
Also read Gabonese army cancels election, dissolve institutions
Hours after the initial announcement, the officers released another video claiming they had detained Bongo.
Bongo first took office in 2009, after the death of his father, Omar Bongo who had become president of the oil-rich nation in 1967.
Saturday’s elections were overshadowed by a lack of international observers, raising concerns about transparency.
Afterwards Bongo’s government curtailed internet service and imposed a nightly curfew across the nation, saying it was necessary to prevent the spread of misinformation.
NEWS FLASH
GABON COUP: Presidency says President Tinubu is working closely with other Heads of States in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward. pic.twitter.com/49Kv2tDB79
— NTA News (@NTANewsNow) August 30, 2023
Internet access seemed to be at least partially restored after the coup announcement.
Gunfire was heard throughout Gabon’s capital, Libreville, after the officers’ initial television appearance.
Residents later poured onto the streets of Libreville to celebrate news of Bongo’s removal.
The declared coup comes on the heels of last month’s military overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger, the latest in a series of coups across West and Central Africa since 2020.
President Bongo survived an attempted military takeover in January 2019 as he was recovering from a stroke.
VOA/Hauwa M.
