In 2023, African nations yet again dominated global headlines with reports of coups.
The most affected by the coups were the Francophone nations.
Niger
On July 26, 2023, the Niger junta ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and placed him under house arrest.
The military leaders at the time resisted international pressure to release Bazoum and return him to power, even as the West African regional bloc Ecowas threatened military action.
Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of the presidential guard who led the revolt appointed himself head of the country's new military government.
The coup was condemned by several leaders across the world and Africa, including President William Ruto who termed the happenings 'an unconstitutional change of government' and called for the release of Bazoum.
"The republic of Kenya joins the rest of the world to condemn in the strongest terms this unconstitutional act that subverts democracy through a coup d'état and calls for the immediate release of President Mohamed Bazoum who is reportedly seized by members of the presidential guard," Ruto said.
"We call for the swift restoration of constitutional rule ensuring the protection of the population and a return to full civilian authority while upholding utmost respect for the country's institution."
On August 14, the junta announced plans to prosecute Bazoum for high treason and undermining national security.
The EU suspended all security cooperation with the landlocked country in West Africa.
According to the BBC, on November 27, the junta overturned an eight-year-old law criminalising migrant smuggling in the country
The legislation allowed authorities to take action against smugglers who transported migrants through Niger's vast desert onto Libya and Europe.
The move is an indication that the junta in Niger's capital Niamey plans to assert its authority over the country's sovereignty, in defiance of international pressure.
Gabon
On August 30, military officers in oil-rich Gabon said they had seized power and placed President Ali Bongo Odimba under house arrest.
The seizure of power came hours after the country’s electoral commission declared Bongo the winner of the presidential elections.
Bongo won a third seven-year term with 64.27 per cent of the vote.
While taking over, the junta said they were annulling the results of the election, in which President Bongo was declared the winner.
The junta announced on a live TV coverage.
They also said the country's borders had been closed "until further notice".
One of the soldiers said on TV channel Gabon 24:
"We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime."
Mr Bongo came to power when his father Omar died in 2009.
As Bongo remained under house arrest, the Junta installed his cousin General Brice Clotaire Oligui-Nguema as the transitional President.
Following the ouster, Bongo sent out a passionate appeal to the global community whom he termed as friends to "make noise" about the mutiny.
"I'm to send a message to all friends that we have all over the world to tell them to make noise for the people here have arrested me and my family," he said.
On September 1, the African Union suspended Gabon's participation in all of its activities following the junta takeover.
The decision followed a meeting of the bloc's Peace and Security Council.
With an increase in tension in the countries, fake news in regards to coups also spread across social media platforms as in the case of the Republic of the Congo, popularly known as Congo Brazzaville.
More than 1,000 X users posted the news, claiming a military takeover, others said the military had seized control of key installations of the country’s capital Brazzaville.
“The military in #Congo #Brazzaville has just toppled the government of President Denis Sassou Nguesso who is away from #Congo and is in New York to attend the UNGA. The military seizes control of key installations in the capital Brazzaville. According to preliminary data, the initiator of the coup is a certain commander of the presidential guard,” one of X users alleged.
However, as the fake news was spreading, increasing tension, the country's Minister of Communication and Media Thierry Moungalla disputed the claims.
In his X post, Moungalla said the government denied such an event, urging Congo Brazzaville's citizens to stay calm and go about their daily activities.
“Urgent - Fanciful information suggests serious events that are underway in #Brazzaville. The government denies this fake news. We reassure the public that the calm reigns and invite people to calmly go about their activities. #ComGouvCg."