A group of army officers in the central African nation of Gabon say they have overthrown the government of President Ali Bongo.

The officers announced the coup early Wednesday morning on national television channel Gabon 24, hours after the nation’s election commission had announced that President Bongo had won a third term in last week’s general elections.

The group said that the election results were invalidated, all state institutions dissolved and all borders closed until further notice. 

“We have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,” one of the officers said.

Bongo first took office in 2009, after the death of his father, Omar Bongo who had become president in 1967.

Gunfire was heard throughout Gabon’s capital, Libreville, after the television appearance.

Some information for this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse.

 
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