In this article, Platinum Times examines list of six African nations besides that have recently faced military coups.
Recall that Platinum Times had already stated that on August 30, 2023, a military coup had taken place in Garbon.
Following the announcement of the country’s takeover and the confirmation of the detention of former president Ali Bongo and his son on suspicion of corruption and embezzlement, military officers were shown on television.
Only a few days had passed since Bongo was elected and began his third term in government, a move that the populace passionately opposed. The military leaders who took over the country after the coup nullified the results of the election that Bongo allegedly won and the overthrow of the government.
The western and central parts of Africa have been a “hub” for military coups in recent years. If it succeeds, the coup in Gabon will be the seventh since 2020 and the second in two months this year.
Tinubu Speaks Out Regarding Gabon’s Revolution
According to the Nigerian Newspaper, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a statement denouncing the unfolding coup in Garbon.
In a statement released by Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, the President said he is “watching closely with deep concern” for Gabon’s socio-political stability and “at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent.”
The statement reads in full:
“President Bola Tinubu is watching closely with deep concern for the country’s social-political stability and at the seeming autocratic contention apparently spreading across different regions of our beloved continent.
“The President as a man who has made significant, personal sacrifices in his own life in the course of advancing and defending democracy is of the unwavering belief that power belongs in the hands of Africa’s great people and not in the barrel of a loaded gun.
“The President affirms that the rule of law and a faithful recourse to the constitutional resolutions and instruments of electoral dispute resolution must not at any time be allowed to perish from our great continent.
“To this end, the President is working very closely and continues to communicate with other Heads of State in the African Union towards a comprehensive consensus on the next steps forward with respect to how the power in Gabon will play out and how the continent will respond to contagious autocracy we have seen spread across our continent.”
President Tinubu also noted that he is committed to working with other heads of state to defend democracy on the continent.
African Countries That Experienced Military Coup Recently.
1. NIGER
President Mohamed Bazoum was detained inside his palace by members of the Niger presidential guard on July 26, 2023.
They announced on national media that they were assuming control to solve the “deteriorating security situation and bad governance.”
A few days later, the military junta appointed Abdourahamane Tiani, the president’s guard commander, as the new leader of the country.
The ECOWAS leaders have been negotiating with the Junta to restore constitutional order, warning that if negotiations fall through, they will mobilize “standby forces.”
2. BURKINA FASO
In 2022, there were two coups. President Roch Kabore was overthrown in January 2022 by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba due to his failure to stop the bloodshed of Islamist extremists.
On September 30, 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traore overthrew Damiba and took over as ruler of the nation.
3. GUINEA
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, the commander of the special forces, overthrew President Alpha Conde in September 2021 after the former amended the constitution in 2020 to get past limitations that would have prevented him from running for a third term, which had caused serious unrest.
After rejecting the guarantee of a democratic transition in three years, ECOWAS then slapped sanctions on Doumbouya, junta leaders, and family.
4. CHAD
The Chadian army seized power in April 2021 after President Idriss Deby was killed in action while inspecting troops engaged in fighting rebels in the north.
General Mahamat Idriss Deby, the president’s son, was appointed interim president, which is against Chadian law as the speaker of parliament is supposed to be the head of state.
The military eventually put an end to the rioting that was started in N’Djamena, the nation’s capital, as a result of the illegal transfer of power.
5. MALI
August 2020 saw the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita by a group of Malian colonels led by Assimi Goita. The coup happened following anti-government protests about deteriorating security, tense legislative elections, and allegations of corruption.
The junta agreed to cede power to a civilian-run interim government, which will oversee an 18-month transition leading up to free and fair elections in February 2022.
The junta conducted a second coup in May 2021 following a fight between the coup commander and the acting president, retired colonel Bah Ndaw. In the interim, Assimi Goita, who had been serving as acting vice president, was elevated to the post of president.
6. Gabon
The military coup in Gabon was announced by a group of senior military commanders.
The officers asserted their control over the country by claiming to speak for all of Gabon’s security and defense personnel.
The officers announced the revocation of the election results, shut down all borders till further notice, and disbanded governmental institutions during their broadcast presentation.
Gunfire was heard in the capital city, Libreville, as emotions increased following the officers’ declaration, according to a Reuters correspondent.
The officers expressed their resolve to preserve peace by overthrowing the current dictatorship on behalf of the Gabonese people.
The military officers claim that their behavior reflects a general lack of satisfaction with the election process and President Ali Bongo’s administration.
According to the Gabonese election center, President Bongo, the ousted president, won the election and won a third term with 64.27% of the vote.
ECOWAS Is Silent As The Garbon Coup Continues, With Ali Bongo’s Son Arrested
As the current Garbon Coup d’état was reported on Wednesday by Platinum Times, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) appeared perplexed and shocked.
A regional political and economic union of fifteen West African nations is known as the Economic Community of West African States.
With a combined size of 5,114,162 km2, these nations have an estimated 387 million people living there as of 2019.