Gabon oil firm moves staff amid riots

French oil group Total has moved expatriate staff and their families from Gabon’s industry hub Port Gentil to the capital Libreville because of post-election violence.

Port Gentil has been hit by riots, looting and attacks on Total facilities and the French consulate since Ali Ben Bongo was declared the winner on Thursday (local time) of a presidential election denounced as fraudulent by opposition leaders.

Leading opposition figures have said they would mount a legal challenge to the victory of Mr Bongo, son of the late president Omar Bongo, who ruled the Central African oil exporter for 41 years until his death in June.

Protesters burnt down a sports and social club owned by Total in Port Gentil overnight, a spokeswoman at the oil company’s offices in Paris said, adding that no one was injured in the fire.

ABC