Gabon: Army Takes Power, “End” Regime

Gunfire rang out in the Gabonese capital of Libreville on Wednesday morning, 30 August, as army officials appeared on national television with claims of a coup.

Just moments after the news about President Ali Bongo winning a third term broke, a group of a dozen senior military officers broadcasted their announcement via the state-owned channel, Gabon 24.

The high-ranked army representatives, speaking on the behalf of a “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions”, called the election results fraudulent, while one declared: “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.”

“The borders are closed until further notice,” the group said in a joint statement, adding that all state institutions – including the government, senate, national assembly, constitutional and election bodies – were dissolved.

No government officials from the central African nation have put out a public statement as of yet, nor have there been any reports regarding the current status of Bongo, whose family has been in power for over five decades.

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