A 51-second video circulating on social media depicts the deposed Gabon President, Ali Bongo, reaching out to his international allies for assistance following the recent coup. In the video, Bongo confirms his arrest and separation from his family, revealing that his wife and son are being held elsewhere.
The coup leaders justified their actions by pointing to severe crises across Gabon’s institutions, politics, economy, and society, deeming the coup a “necessary” step for the country’s advancement.
Bongo’s plea is straightforward: “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.”
The viral video captures a moment of uncertainty and turbulence in the West African nation as international attention is drawn to the unfolding events and the plea for external intervention.