Gabon's coup leaders announced the selection of Republican Guard commander General Bryce Olegy Nguema as the leader of the transitional period, following the overthrow of President Ali Bongo and the military seizure of power. They also decided to curfew in the country from six in the evening until six in the morning.

The military had announced on Wednesday morning their seizure of power, and put Bongo under house arrest, a few hours after the election commission announced that he won a third presidential term, at a time when demonstrations took place in the streets of the capital, Libreville, in support of the coup.

Bongo was then seen in a video from his house arrest, sending a message to "all the world and friends to act" against those who arrested him.

In the video, which showed him sitting in a chair and looking anxious, Bongo said he was at his residence and did not know what was happening, adding that his son was being held somewhere and that his wife was "missing".


In the first statement, read by officers from the presidential palace this morning – via Gabon 24 – he announced the cancellation of the elections, the dissolution of state institutions, and the closure of the country's borders until further notice.

"We, the defence and security forces, assembled as part of the Transition and Institutions Restoration Commission, have decided, on behalf of the Gabonese people, to defend peace by ending the existing regime," the group of more than 10 officers said.

Hours after the first statement, coup leaders announced – via state television – that President Bongo had been placed under house arrest and that one of his sons and members of the government had been arrested on charges of high treason.

The institutions announced to be dissolved included: the Government, the Senate, the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court and the Election Commission.

During the early hours of the coup, automatic gunfire was heard in the capital Libreville, Reuters and AFP reported.

Navigational data showed air traffic in Gabon had been halted. Internet service was restored in Gabon hours after the first statement, according to Reuters.

Commander of the Republican Guard General Bryce Oligue Nguema declared commander of the transitional period (Gabonese press)

Third suspended term

Tensions in Gabon have escalated over Saturday's presidential and legislative elections, in the absence of international observers.

Through the election, Bongo sought to extend his family's 56-year rule, while the opposition worked to bring about change in the oil- and cocoa-rich country, which is still impoverished.

Internet access was cut off and nighttime curfews were imposed across the country as part of measures taken by the government before polling stations closed to prevent "false news" and possible "violence".

Turnout was 56.65%, according to the election commission.


The Election Commission had announced – at dawn on Wednesday – the victory of President Ali Bongo for a third term in the elections, with 64.27% of the votes, after a vote that witnessed postponements and the opposition challenged its results.

Election Commission Chairman Michel Stephane Bonda said candidate Albert Ondo Osa, Bongo's main rival, came in second with 30.77 percent. Bongo's team rejected Ondo Osa's allegations of electoral irregularities.

Candidate Ossa had spoken of "fraud operations run by the Bongo camp" two hours before polls closed, confirming that he had won the election. His camp appealed to Bongo on Monday to "organise the handover of power without bloodshed".

If successful, it would be the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.

Bongo ruled Gabon for 14 years, succeeding his father, Omar Bongo, who held power for nearly 42 years.

In 2016, demonstrators set fire to the parliament building when violent protests erupted against Bongo's second term in office.