Cameroon President, Paul Biya Makes Major Changes in Ministry of Defence, Hours After Gabon Coup

• Cameroon's 90-year-old President Paul Biya has made significant changes in his country's ministry of defence
• Hours after the coup in neighbouring Gabon, Biya appointed new personnel to the internal and external services of the ministry
• Biya has been Cameroon's president since 1982. He was the prime minister from 1975 to 1982

Yaoundé, Cameroon - Cameroon's president, Paul Biya, on Wednesday, August 30, announced major changes in their security forces.

The decision, which comes after the recent military coup in Gabon, affected high-ranking military personnel.

Cameroon takes measures against coup attempts

Biya, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, made new appointments at the Defence Ministry’s central administrative unit.

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The 90-year-old shared the decree via his verified social media pages. The document, sighted by Legit.ng, was titled: "Decree appointing officials to the ministry of defence"

Biya's Cameroon has a long land border with coup-hit Gabon.

Celebrations erupt in Gabon after military takeover

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that several supporters of a military coup in Gabon have trooped to the streets.

Photos seen by Legit.ng showed residents applauding members of the security forces in the Plein Ciel district in Libreville, the Gabonese capital city. The Army had announced the removal of President Ali Bongo.

Gabon coup: France unlikely to intervene

Legit.ng also reported that Tara O’Connor, the executive director of Africa Risk Consulting on Wednesday, August 30, said France is unlikely to send its military to intervene in coup-hit Gabon, its former colony.

O’Connor told Al Jazeera that the military takeover in Gabon was "opportunistic", following the military coups that have happened in Mali, Burkina Faso, and recently, Niger.

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Gabonese soldiers hail coup ‘hero’

In another related news, Legit.ng reported that Brice Oligui Nguema, the head of Gabon's presidential guard, was carried triumphantly by soldiers on Wednesday, August 30.

Oligui was carried aloft by several soldiers on Wednesday, hours after the coupists announced that they had deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, according to verified footage circulating online.

Per France 24, the footage, played on a loop, showed many soldiers shouting "Oligui president".

Source: Legit.ng