Coup in Gabon As Soldiers as Soldier Seize Power from Sick President Ali Bongo
There is a military coup ongoing in Gabon, as soldiers in the West African country of Gabon who claimed they are out “to restore democracy”, took control of the national radio station in the early hours of Monday.
The Military who claimed they have seized power in oil-rich Gabon, where the ailing leader’s family has ruled for 50 years, read a short statement announcing a “National Restoration Council”. AFP reported that shots were being fired in Gabon’s capital Libreville, and around state television offices in the centre of the capital at about 6:30am (05:30 GMT). It was also gathered that the military vehicles blocked access to the site.
In its statement on Monday, the military officers condemned President Ali Bongo who addressed his compatriots last Monday from Morocco for the first time since suffering a stroke in October. They described the message as “a pitiful sight” and a “relentless attempt to cling onto power.”
