There are emerging reports suggesting an ongoing coup attempt at the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on 26th July. It is said that President Mohamed Bazoum is currently negotiating with the armed forces who have obstructed access to the palace. The circumstances remain uncertain at this time.
Reliable security sources have disclosed that President Bazoum is being detained by the presidential guards within the confines of the presidential palace. The palace has reportedly been cordoned off by military vehicles since Wednesday morning.
These activities bear a stark resemblance to the four military coups which have recently afflicted Niger’s neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, since 2020.
According to presidency and security sources, surrounding ministries have also been blocked, and palace staff members have been unable to reach their offices.
In stark contrast to the tension at the palace, the rest of Niamey appears to be unperturbed. Normal morning traffic and full internet access have been reported by a Reuters correspondent.
Previous coups in Burkina Faso and Mali were partly fuelled by resentment over the government’s inability to curtail the Islamist insurgency tormenting the Sahel region, which also encompasses Niger.
It is worth noting that a coup attempt was thwarted in Niger in March 2021, when a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace just days before Bazoum’s inauguration.
Despite no unusual military movements being observed, reports indicate that the official residence of President Bazoum was cordoned off today.
A reliable source told AFP that Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum’s official residence was sealed off by the elite Presidential Guard on Wednesday. The reasons behind this action have not been revealed yet.
Whilst President Bazoum’s official complex in Niamey has been sealed off, AFP reports that there has been no unusual military deployment or sounds of gunfire in the area. Traffic appears to be flowing as usual. Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021 and is considered a close ally of France, survived an attempted coup on 31st March 2021, just two days prior to his inauguration, as per AFP.
