Gabon Military Seizes State Broadcaster in Coup Attempt

President Ali Bongo has been in Morocco for over two months
Gunfire, helicopters heard by residents of capital, Libreville

Military officers make a broadcast from Gabon’s national radio stationSource: Twitter

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By Eric Mbog Batassi and Elie Smith

January 7, 2019 at 7:15 AM UTC

Updated on

January 7, 2019 at 9:53 AM UTC

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Military officers seized Gabon’s state broadcaster to announce plans to “save a democracy in danger” in what appeared to be a coup against ailing President Ali Bongo. The soldiers have been arrested, Radio France Internationale reported, citing a government spokesman.

Young army officers are disappointed with a speech by Bongo on Dec. 31 that he broadcast from Morocco, according to Ondo Obiang Kelly, a lieutenant who read the statement on state TV Monday and identified himself as a member of the Republican Guard. Bongo has been convalescing in Morocco for more than two months after suffering a stroke.