SECURITY sources report that the presidential guards are currently holding President Mohamed Bazoum inside the presidential palace in Niger’s capital, Niamey. The palace has been surrounded by military vehicles since Wednesday morning, leading to fears of a potential coup, mirroring similar incidents in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020.
In addition to the palace being blocked off, nearby ministries have also been cordoned off, and staff inside the palace have been unable to access their offices, according to sources from the presidency and security agencies.
The rest of Niamey, however, appears relatively calm, with normal morning traffic on the roads and full internet access, as observed by a Reuters reporter.
The situation is reminiscent of previous coups in Burkina Faso and Mali, where frustrations over the authorities’ inability to curb the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel region played a significant role in triggering the military takeovers.
Niger itself faced a thwarted coup attempt in March 2021 when a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace just days before President Bazoum’s scheduled inauguration.
As the situation unfolds, regional and international observers are closely monitoring developments, given the delicate security situation in the Sahel and the potential implications for Niger and the wider West African region.
