Soldiers in Niger have declared a coup on national TV, announcing the dissolution of the constitution, suspension of all institutions, and closure of the nation’s borders. President Mohamed Bazoum has been held by troops from the presidential guard since early on Wednesday. The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, promised “unwavering support” to President Bazoum in a call following the coup. Similarly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres offered the UN’s full support.
President Bazoum is a significant ally in the fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa. The neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso have also experienced coups triggered by jihadist uprisings in recent years. In both instances, the new military leaders have had disputes with France, the former colonial power, which once ruled Niger.
The soldiers behind the coup, led by Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, cited the deteriorating security situation and poor economic governance as reasons for their actions. They suspended all institutions and announced that the country’s ministries’ heads would handle daily affairs. The soldiers imposed a night curfew from 22:00 to 05:00 local time until further notice.
The Western African economic bloc Ecowas has strongly condemned the attempt to seize power by force in Niger. Benin’s President Patrice Talon has arrived in Niamey for a mediation mission on behalf of Ecowas, seeking to restore constitutional order in the country.
Niger is facing challenges from two Islamist insurgencies, one in the southwest and the other in the southeast, involving jihadist groups allied with both al-Qaeda and Islamic State. President Bazoum’s democratically elected government was only established in 2021, making him a key ally to Western nations like France.
As the situation unfolds, international concern grows about the stability of the Sahel region and the involvement of outside actors, such as heavily armed Russian Wagner mercenaries in neighboring Mali. The people of Niger and the international community anxiously await further developments in this tumultuous period for the West African nation.
