Who is the general named as Gabon's transition leader?
General Brice Oligui Nguema, named Gabon's new leader following a coup, served the central African country's longtime strongman before turning on his son in Wednesday's military takeover.
Held aloft triumphantly by his troops following the announcement of the coup that ended 55 years of rule by the Bongo family, Nguema is experienced and popular among his peers. / Photo: Reuters
Gabon's military junta has named General Brice Oligui Nguema as transition leader following the apparent ouster of President Ali Bongo.
Here are some facts about him.
Background
Nguema is from Gabon's south-easternmost province of Haut-Ogooue, which borders the Republic of Congo.
Bongo is also from the same part of the country.
He replaced Bongo's stepbrother as head of Gabon's Republican Guard in October 2019.
The elite force is in charge of protecting the president, his family and other high-profile figures.
Anti-corruption mandate
Shortly after he took on the new role in 2019, Nguema launched an operation named "clean hands" to crack down on alleged state-led embezzlement.
Properties in US
Nguema was named in a 2020 investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global network of investigative journalists, which alleged that some members of the Bongo family and their inner circle purchased expensive property in the United States with stashes of cash.
The Bongo family has ruled oil-rich Gabon for over half a century.
None of the accused replied to requests for comment.
Reason behind coup
While Nguema himself has not read out any statements, he was among the officers who first announced the coup.
The group, which calls itself the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the August 26 election was not credible and that Gabon faced a "severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis."
In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde on Wednesday, Nguema said people in Gabon were frustrated with their government.
He noted Bongo's ill health following a stroke in 2018 and said the president's run for a third term breached the constitution.
"Everyone talks about this, but no one takes responsibility," he said. "So the army decided to turn the page."
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