Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday (August 30), after the Central African state's election body announced that President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

Video from Port Gentil, south of the capital Libreville, showed people holding up the national flag and singing as a convoy of military vehicles drove past.

A dozen senior officers appeared on television channel Gabon 24 to declare that the election results were cancelled, borders were closed and state institutions were dissolved. They said they represented all Gabon's security and defence forces.

There was no immediate comment from Gabon's government and there were no immediate reports on the whereabouts of Bongo, 64, who was last seen in public casting his vote on Saturday.

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