NIGER | Military Take over in Niger, President Held in Palace Coup by Guards

NAIMEY, Niger, July 26, 2023 - There has been a military take over in the West African country of Niger with Soldiers announcing  the coup on national television. According to Niger’s military they have dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation's borders.

Niger's presidential office said in a tweet on Wednesday that “spontaneous protests by democracy advocates broke out all over the (capital) city of Niamey, (around) the country and in front of Niger's embassies abroad after the announcement this morning that President (Mohamed) Bazoum is being held in his palace by his military guards.

The presidential guards are holding Bazoum inside the palace, which has been blocked off by military vehicles since Wednesday morning, Reuters and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Wednesday. Reuters cited security sources and AFP referenced sources close to Bazoum.

In the TV announcement on Wednesday, Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, alongside nine other uniformed soldiers behind him, said: "We, the defence and security forces... have decided to put an end to the regime you know.

"This follows the continuing deterioration of the security situation, and poor economic and social governance."

He also said that all of the country's institutions had been suspended and that the heads of the ministries would take care of day-to-day business.

"All external partners are asked not to interfere," he went on. "Land and air borders are closed until the situation has stabilised."

He added a night curfew would take effect from 22:00 until 05:00 local time until further notice.

Col Maj Abdramane said the soldiers were acting for the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CLSP).

 President Mohamed Bazoum who US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said had Washington's "unwavering support" has been held by presidential guard troops since early  Wednesday.

After the soldiers' TV announcement  Blinken called for the release of President Bazoum. He told a news conference in New Zealand that "what it clearly constitutes is an effort to seize power by force and to disrupt the constitution".

The BBC is reporting that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he had spoken to the president and offered the UN's full support for him.

Bazoum is said to be a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa.

Two neighbouring countries, Mali and Burkina Faso, have experienced coups triggered by jihadist uprisings in recent years.

In both countries the new military leaders have fallen out with France, the former colonial power, which also formerly ruled Niger.

The West African economic bloc Ecowas has said it "condemns in the strongest terms the attempt to seize power by force".

Earlier on Wednesday, crowds in the capital Niamey took to the streets in support of Mr Bazoum. A BBC reporter also saw heavily armed forces loyal to the president stationed around the national broadcaster.

The city was mostly peaceful, although soldiers behind the coup attempt fired shots to break up the protests.

Niger is grappling with two Islamist insurgencies - one in the south-west, which swept in from Mali in 2015, and the other in the south-east, involving jihadists based in north-eastern Nigeria.

Militant groups allied to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State are active in the country.

President Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021, is a close ally of France, and other Western nations.

Niger has experienced four coups since independence from France in 1960, as well as numerous attempted coups.