Gabonese soldiers place ousted president under house arrest, detain son for ‘treason’

The coup leaders in Gabon have placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest, hours after he was toppled.

The soldiers also announced that one of his sons has been arrested for “treason”.

In a televised address, the soldiers who said they represent all security and defence forces in the Central African nation, added that Bongo is “surrounded by his family and doctors”.

Earlier on Wednesday, the soldiers cited institutional, political, economic, and social crises as reasons for the coup.

They added that Bongo’s administration had been reduced to an “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos”.

In a now viral clip, Bongo can be seen sat on a chair, draped in traditional outfit, while calling on all friends of Gabon and the international community to “make noise… for the people here have arrested me and my family”.

As elections were wrapping up in Gabon, the government announced a nationwide curfew and cut off internet access.

Media outlets were also banned over “a lack of objectivity and balance”.

The country’s political opposition described the election as a “fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters”.

The coup punctuated Bongo’s family’s 53-year hold on power.

The 64-year old rose to power when Omar, his father, died after ruling from 1967 to 2009.

The Gabon coup comes barely a month after President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic was toppled by a military junta.

Negotiations instigated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to relinquish power to Bazoum have been ongoing since his deposition on July 26.