Soldiers claim to have overthrown Niger’s government following an apparent coup in the West African nation on Wednesday when members of the Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum.
Here are five points on the military coup in Niger:
- According to The Guardian, the military takeover marks the seventh coup in west and central Africa since 2020, and could further complicate western efforts to help countries in the Sahel region fight a jihadist insurgency that has spread from Mali over the past decade.
- Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been removed from power by the military, was a key western ally in the fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa.
- The soldiers have announced on television that “all institutions” in the country would be suspended, borders would be closed, and a curfew would be imposed “until further notice”.
- The military takeover has received condemnation from all over the world. Niger’s armed forces actions have been denounced by the UN, the EU, France, the United States, and the African Union.
- Hours after his detention, Bazoum’s supporters tried to approach the official complex but were dispersed by members of the Presidential Guard who fired warning shots.