Gabon coup: Military officers say they're seizing power after President Ali Bongo wins third term

livemint.com:

Gabon coup: A group of senior military officers in Gabon claimed they had seized power in the early hours of Wednesday. This came minutes after the Central African state's election body announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba, 64, was declared winner of an election marred by fears of violence. As per media reports, The officers claimed to speak for all of Gabon's security and military forces on the television station Gabon 24.

They claimed that state institutions had been disbanded, the election results had been annulled, and all borders had been blocked indefinitely. As per Reuters reporter, gunfire was heard in the capital Libreville after the statement announcing the ousting of Bongo, whose family have ruled the country that produces oil and manganese for more than half a century. Crowds in the city took to the city's streets to celebrate the end of Bongo's reign, singing the national anthem with soldiers.

Bongo has been in power for 14 years in the oil-rich West African state. He was first elected in 2009 following the death of his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, who had ruled the country for 41 years. The coup attempt came about one month after mutinous soldiers in Niger seized power from the democratically elected government.

Gabon's coup, if successful would bring the number of coups in West and Central Africa to eight since 2020. Unlike Niger and two other West African countries run by military juntas, Gabon hasn’t been wracked by jihadi violence and had been seen as relatively stable. But nearly 40% of Gabonese ages 15-24 were out of work in 2020, according to the World Bank.