The government of oil rich Gabon has declared that it was in control after an attempted coup by army rebels Monday and that it had arrested most of th
The government of oil rich Gabon has declared that it was in control after an attempted coup by army rebels Monday and that it had arrested most of those involved. Of the five who planned the attempted coup, four have been arrested and one is on the run. The gendarmes who are often stationed around the radio and TV headquarters, have taken control of the area and everything is back to normal.
Only hours earlier, soldiers burst into state radio and called on the people to “rise up,” an apparent bid to oust ailing President Ali Bongo, who is out of the country. They had announced that they have seized power, effectively ending the 50-year rule of the family of President Ali Bongo. The military said it is seizing power “to restore democracy and announced a “National Restoration Council”.
The message was read on state radio by a person who identified himself as the deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a group called the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security Forces. Three soldiers wearing the green beret of the Republican Guard were visible on a video of the speech circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP. Also, according to the BBC, army armoured vehicles and tanks were seen patrolling the streets of the capital, Libreville when this announcement was made.
Ali Bongo, who became president in 2009 after his father handed over power to him, having ruled from 1967, has been ill and receiving treatment in Morocco for more than two months. In a New Year ’s Day broadcast, he tried to put an end to the rumour about his health, assuring citizens that he was fine.
