Mutinous soldiers said they have taken over power from President Ali Bongo Odimba in Gabon.
The soldiers appeared on Gabonese national television, announcing the cancellation of recent election results and the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic”.
The coup followed shortly after the national election authority’s announcement on Wednesday that Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba had been re-elected for a third term.
Soldier on TV channel Gabon 24 said: “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime”.
Gunfire is reported in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, according to media reports.
Gabon’s political opposition branded the election a “fraud orchestrated by Ali Bongo and his supporters”.
Gabon’s borders are closed until further notice, soldiers who have seized power said in a statement broadcast on the Gabon 24 television channel.
“The borders are closed until further notice,” said one of the soldiers, speaking on behalf of a “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions”.
The group of 12 officers made the announcement early on Wednesday morning that President Ali Bongo had won a third term in office.
After observing “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos… we have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime”, one of the soldiers said, speaking on the Gabon 24 TV channel.
There was no immediate comment from the Gabon government, the Reuters news agency reported.
