President Ali Bongo, who was toppled in a military coup on Wednesday morning, has pleaded with his international friends to make noise for his release.
Bongo, in a 51-second video clip trending on social media, confirmed that he had been arrested and isolated from his son and wife, who he said were held at another place.
“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,” he begged.
Born Alain Bernard Bongo on February 9, 1959, in Congo-Brazzaville, the 64-year-old was Gabon’s president from 2009 when his father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon for almost 42 years, from 1967 died.
