Following Wednesday’s coup, in Gabon, a video of former Gabonese President Ali Bongo pleading with his overseas allies to “make noise” is making rounds on social media.
Bongo confirmed in the 51-second clip that he had been arrested and separated from his son and wife, who he claimed were being held somewhere.
Bongo said, “My name is Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon. I am sending a message to all friends that we have all over the world, to tell them to make noise, to make noise.”
Alain Bernard Bongo, 64, who was born in Congo-Brazzaville on February 9, 1959, took office 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.
The military takeover, according to the statement released by the officers under the aegis of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions, cited “serious institutional, political, economic and social crises” as among the factors responsible for the coup.
