Army officers have made an appearance on national television in Gabon, declaring that they have assumed control. They have stated their intention to invalidate the outcomes of the recent Saturday election, in which President Ali Bongo was announced as the victor. The election results were contested by the opposition, claiming that the election was marred by fraud. If successful, this move would bring an end to President Ali Bongo’s family’s 53-year grip on power in Gabon. Notably, Gabon is a significant oil producer in Africa, and a large portion of its land is covered by forests.

A group of twelve soldiers took to the airwaves early Wednesday morning to announce the cancellation of the election results and the dissolution of “all the institutions of the republic.” Additionally, they revealed the closure of the country’s borders “until further notice.” Should this development be confirmed, it would mark the eighth instance of a coup in former French colonies within Africa over the past three years. It is worth noting that the majority of these incidents have occurred farther north, in the Sahel region. There, the rise of Islamist insurgency has prompted concerns about the failure of democratically elected governments to safeguard civilian populations.

The situation has attracted attention from France, with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne expressing close monitoring of the events. Furthermore, the European Union’s foreign policy leader has warned that a military takeover would exacerbate instability in Africa.

“This is a big issue for Europe,” said Josep Borrell.

Eramet, a French mining company with a large workforce in Gabon, announced that it had halted all operations there due to security concerns.

The soldiers who announced the purported coup claimed to represent the nation’s security and armed forces and to be members of the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions.

One of the soldiers said on TV channel Gabon 24: “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.”

This, he added, was down to “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion that risks leading the country into chaos”.

After the broadcast, loud gunfire could be heard in Libreville, the nation’s capital.

A resident in the western city of Port Gentil told the BBC World Service’s Newsday programme he was woken by a friend who told him about the soldier’s broadcast.

“There was a communique being played again and again on the two national TV channels,” they said, adding that it appeared that all parts of Gabon’s defence and security forces were involved.

BBC’s Africa editor, Will Ross, indicates that this implies the coup might not be completely resolved, and there could be some opposition faced. The government has not provided an immediate reaction to the soldiers’ declaration, and the current location of Mr. Bongo remains undisclosed.

Internet connectivity was halted after the election on Saturday due to security concerns, but it was promptly reinstated after the apparent assumption of power. A curfew has also been enforced. This information comes from the BBC.