President Teodoro Obiang Nguema: New coup plot within Nguema family?

© Ministère français des Affaires étrangères

afrol News, 16 October - According to the self-declared "exiled government of Equatorial Guinea", another failed coup attempt against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema took place on Thursday. The Dictator's own brother was reported to have tried to assassinate Mr Obiang. The "exiled government" is headed by Severo Moto in Madrid, and is accused of having orchestrated the last coup attempt in March this year.

Mr Moto's "exiled government" today informed afrol News that President Obiang's brother and head of national security, Armengol Ondo Nguema, on Thursday had planned to kill the Head of State during a hunting session and take control of the government. The "exiled government" claims to base its allegations on "sources close to the government in Equatorial Guinea."

The alleged planned coup attempt had been "discovered by close friends of the dictator that had caught the coup plotters," according to Mr Moto's group. The alleged plotters had thus been detained.

The Madrid-based exiled Equatoguineans quotes "sources of absolute credibility from the presidential circle," who had reported that the President's brother was now being held in house arrest in Malabo, the Equatoguinean capital.

During the day, however, the same sources were quoted as reporting, there had been held a meeting in Malabo "where the clan around [President] Obiang had pressured the tyrant to release his dear brother." Mr Ondo Nguema is one of the most powerful men in Equatorial Guinea, counting on influential friends throughout the country.

It was further known, the same sources say, that an undefined number of military forces currently are held in Malabo's infamous Black Beach prison. At the same time, Equatoguinean armed forces were said to have increased their presence throughout the country, registering movement of civilians and setting up new roadblocks.

The Madrid-based Equatoguinean politicians claim that the direct motive behind the alleged coup plot was a controversy regarding the alleged US$ 450 million Mr Ondo Nguema is said to have deposited in an Egyptian bank account. President Obiang - who himself is documented to have enormous funds on US bank accounts - was reported to have tried to take control of the funds in Egypt, "triggering another conspiracy."

According to the "exiled Equatoguinean government", this is "not the first time that Armengol Ondo Nguema tries to eliminate his brother and violently grip power." The Madrid group claims to have information that documents "the relation between the brother of the Dictator and the alleged March coup plotters."

The Malabo government, on the other hand, claims that Mr Moto and his "exiled government" indeed were behind the alleged March coup attempt. A South African national detained in Malabo had told the courts that Mr Moto was to be airlifted to Equatorial Guinea as soon as his alleged group of mercenaries had toppled the President and secured power.

The Spanish government and British business interests were reported to have paid for the operation, which was planned together with Mr Moto, according to statements made by President Obiang. The Equatoguinean government has demanded the extradition of Mr Moto from Spanish authorities, without getting a positive answer from Madrid.

Reports of possible coup plots are becoming more frequent in Equatorial Guinea. The Malabo government on several occasions has used coup allegations to embark on purges against the opposition, in particular ahead of elections. Also exiled groups have at many occasions spread false coup rumours in an attempt to destabilise the Equatoguinean dictatorship. Information released by any political group in Equatorial Guinea is therefore highly questionable.

If the reports by the "exiled government" are based on realities, however, it would not be the first time a coup within the Nguema family would have occurred. President Obiang in 1979 himself came to power in a military coup against his own uncle, Macias Nguema, who was consequently executed. Mr Obiang Nguema at that time also was in charge of national security.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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