Gabon coup: Bongo’s son arrested for treason

Gabon coup: Bongo’s son arrested for treason

Military officers in Gabon who Wednesday morning toppled the civilian regime headed by Ali Bongo have arrested his son for treason.

Twelve soldiers appeared on a national television station to announce the overthrow of the Bongo government.

Latest reports also said they had detained Bongo’s son for treason, among other allegations.

“President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, surrounded by his family and doctors,” they had earlier said in a statement read on the state TV.

According to Alarabiya News, Bongo’s son and close adviser, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, his chief of staff Ian Ghislain Ngoulou as well as his deputy, two other presidential advisers with two top officials in the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) “have been arrested,” a military leader said.

They were accused of treason, embezzlement, corruption and falsifying the President’s signature, among other allegations, he said.

The military takeover in Gabon is the latest coup spreading across West and Central Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is still battling with the Republic of Niger’s crisis that begun with a coup on July 26.