The Congolese Brazzaville government has dismissed rumours of a coup attempt against President Denis Nguesso.

Thierry Moungalla, the country’s minister of information, spoke via a message posted on the X platform tweet on Sunday.

“URGENT – Fanciful information suggests
serious events that are underway in Brazzaville.

“The Government denies
this fake news. We reassure public
opinion about the calm that reigns and
invite people to calmly go about their
activities,” the minister tweeted.

Reports had emerged on social media claiming a coup attempt was ongoing in the country while President Denis Sassou Nguesso was away.

Nguesso is said to be in New York, United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The country’s president is a former military officer who has been in power since 1997.

The Republic of the Congo is situated astride the Equator in west-central Africa.

Officially known as the Republic of the Congo, the country is often called Congo (Brazzaville), with its capital added parenthetically, to distinguish it from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is often referred to by its acronym, the DRC, or called Congo (Kinshasa).