Ali Bongo, the deposed president of Gabon, has urged his “fans” to “make noise” following a military takeover of the oil-rich nation in central Africa.
The president announced his arrest in a video while seated.
He claimed that his wife was “in another place” and that his son was “in another place.”
“I’m sending a message to all of our friends around the world to tell them to make noise, because the people here have arrested me and my family,” he stated.
“My wife is somewhere, my son is somewhere else, and I’m at the house. I’m at the house right now, and nothing is occurring. I’m contacting you to create noise because I have no idea what’s happening and I really need to make noise. I appreciate you.
Alain Bernard Bongo, 64, who was born in Congo-Brazzaville on February 9, 1959, took over as president of Gabon in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who had controlled the country for nearly 42 years starting in 1967.
On June 8, 2009, Omar Bongo passed away in Spain from colorectal cancer. Immediately after his passing, from June 11 to June 18, there was a month of mourning and a state funeral.
Bongo’s son and close adviser Noureddin Bongo Valentin, his chief of staff Ian Ghislain Ngoulou and his deputy, two other presidential advisers, and the two top PDG (Gabon Democratic Party) officials were all reportedly detained, according to the country’s military leaders.
The allegations against them include treason, theft, corruption, and forging the president’s signature.
China has demanded that Bongo’s safety be secured, while former colonial power France has stated that it is closely monitoring events in Gabon.
