More Update on Gabon coup: President held hostage

More updates coming from the Central African nation, Gabon reports that the President, Ali Bongo has been held hostage by the coup leaders and kept under house arrest, while one of Bongo’s sons has been arrested and charged of treason.

The coup leaders cited a range of pressing challenges including institutional, political, economic, and social crises, asserting that their intervention was necessary for the advancement of Gabon.

The coup, they claimed, was imperative to address these issues and steer the nation towards progress.

In their bid for control, the coup leaders took decisive action by dissolving all major state institutions, including the government, the Senate, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court. This move signaled a comprehensive reconfiguration of Gabon’s political framework under the new leadership.

Reports from Al-Jazeera confirmed that President Ali Bongo has been placed under house arrest, a development that underscores the military’s firm grasp on power.

Additionally, President Bongo’s son has been apprehended on charges of treason, reflecting the far-reaching implications of the coup on the highest echelons of the country’s leadership.

A statement delivered by the coup leaders on state television conveyed that President Bongo is currently confined to his residence, surrounded by his family and medical personnel.

The situation has prompted a significant deployment of security forces throughout Libreville, with the presidential guards taking control of key positions including the presidential palace and strategic areas around the National Assembly and the Senate.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Nicolas Haque, reporting from Dakar, Senegal, observed that the streets of Libreville are now heavily patrolled by security personnel.

The military’s swift and calculated takeover has reshaped Gabon’s political landscape, leaving the nation and the international community closely watching for further developments in the aftermath of this coup.