Former presidential spokesperson Ike Ngouoni discusses his arrest, detention, and the inner workings of the Ali Bongo Ondimba administration
via Gabon Review2 min read
In an interview with Jeune Afrique on April 21, 2026, Ike Ngouoni Aïla Oyouomi, former spokesperson for the Gabonese presidency, spoke about his arrest, five years of detention, and the power dynamics under Ali Bongo Ondimba. Released in April 2024, Ngouoni described his November 2019 arrest as "nothing but a plot, a political machination." He considers himself "collateral damage" in an effort to remove Brice Laccruche Alihanga, then chief of staff to President Ali Bongo. Ngouoni, who was attached to Laccruche Alihanga's office, became a target in this context. Ngouoni detailed the judicial process against him, stating he was taken directly to solitary confinement at Camp Roux on the day of his arrest and hidden from his lawyers for three days. He was then presented to an investigating judge without a fair hearing, where he felt the outcome was predetermined. He reported pressure from investigators to incriminate Brice Laccruche and was told by the instructing magistrate, "We know you did nothing, but you know it's political, you know it comes from above." Ngouoni refused and was sentenced to eight years. Regarding the betrayal he experienced, Ngouoni stated that the decision could not have been made without the President's approval. He also described manipulation by First Lady Sylvia Bongo, who summoned him to demand the codes for the presidential social media accounts, a maneuver he believes was designed to make him complacent. He criticized Noureddine Bongo, the President'
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Gabon's Minister of Health, Professor Elsa Nkana Joséphine Ayo épouse Bivigou, presented several bills to the National Assembly's Health Commission on June 4, 2026. These bills aim to provide a legal framework for the country's main university hospital centers, including the Jeanne Ebori Mother-Child University Hospital Foundation, the Libreville University Hospital, the Owendo University Hospital, and the National Public Health Laboratory. The minister highlighted that these institutions, despite being operational for years, lack a legal framework compliant with current legislation, specifically Law No. 20/2005 of January 3, 2006, which governs the creation, organization, and management of state services. The proposed reform seeks to rectify this legal anomaly, strengthen governance, and improve healthcare services. The minister emphasized that formalizing the legal status of these university hospitals will enable them to expand their missions in care, training, and research, facilitating partnerships with other institutions, potentially abroad. During the same hearing, the minister also defended a bill to ratify Ordinance No. 0020/PR/2026, which introduces new measures to combat tobacco use and nicotine-derived products, including vaping devices, to protect the population, especially young people. Deputies raised concerns about persistent issues in public health establishments, such as emergency patient care delays, quality of reception, and consultation costs, particularly
Must ReadGabon is accelerating preparations for a ban on chicken imports, scheduled for January 1, 2027. The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Professor Charles Edgar Mombo, visited the experimental site in Kougouleu, 55 kilometers from Libreville, to assess progress on research aimed at ensuring local production of agricultural inputs for poultry feed. The site is conducting adaptability tests on strategic crops such as corn, soybeans, rice, peanuts, and beans to identify varieties best suited to Gabon's climate and soil conditions. Gauthier Parfait Boussougou Boussougou, head of the Corn program, explained that the goal is to produce the necessary feed for chickens locally. The minister emphasized the approaching deadline for the import ban and the need to accelerate research and development. Researchers at Kougouleu are working to select agricultural varieties to meet the needs of the future national poultry sector, with encouraging results, including the certification of three rice varieties by the Institute of Agronomic and Forestry Research IRAF. The ministry also plans to implement training programs for producers and establish seed stocks to support the growth of selected crops, aiming to secure raw material supplies before the import ban takes effect. Professor Mombo highlighted the country's agricultural potential and the role of scientific research in supporting public policies, stating that higher education is capable of supporting the President's decisi
Gabon and France commemorated Captain Charles N'Tchoréré on June 7 in Libreville, 86 years after his death. The ceremony, held at the mausoleum named after him, honored the Gabonese officer who died in 1940 after refusing racial discrimination. Gabonese and French authorities, including the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defense, Major General Sylvain Florent Pangou Mbembo, and Colonel Jean-Côme Journé, military attaché at the French Embassy in Gabon, attended the event. General Bruno Ewingui, Director General of the National Office of Veterans, described N'Tchoréré as an emblematic figure of bravery and dignity, embodying the courage of African soldiers in global conflicts. N'Tchoréré, born Charles Borromée Messani Yi N'Tchoréré in Libreville on December 15, 1896, joined the French army and fought in both World War I and World War II. He was killed on June 7, 1940, during the Battle of Airaines, after German soldiers executed him for refusing to be separated from his European comrades, a violation of the 1929 Geneva Convention. His legacy includes posthumous distinctions such as the Order of the Legion of Honor and the Croix de guerre. Colonel Jean-Côme Journé emphasized France's duty to remember this hero. Captain N'Tchoréré remains a symbol of courage, commitment, and resistance against injustice.