Soldiers in
the West African country of Niger have announced a coup on national TV.
They said they
had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the
nation's borders.
Niger
President Mohamed Bazoum has been held by troops from the presidential guard
since early on Wednesday.
He was
promised Washington's "unwavering support" in call from US Secretary
of State Antony Blinken.
UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres also said he had spoken to the president and offered
the UN's full support.
Mr Bazoum is 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.
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 (CNSP).
After the
soldiers' TV announcement Mr 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 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.
 |
| Supporters of President Bazoum rallied in Niamey earlier on Wednesday |
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.
By Laurence Peter || BBC News
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