Army strike in Niger Republic, Tinubu describes it as an unpleasant development

A coup d’état has been reported in Niger Republic with President Bazoum Mohammed currently being held hostage by the National guards.

A security expert known as Zaragoza revealed that the presidential guard had taken President Mohamed hostage since morning and has refused to retreat.

“The Army and the National Guard are currently deploying around the Presidential Palace.

It was gathered that disgruntled members of the guard sealed off access to the president’s residence and offices, and after talks broke down “refused to release the President.

Bazoum was democratically elected in 2021.

Reacting to the coup, President Bola Tinubu described it as an “unpleasant development” and reiterated that Nigeria stands firm with the elected government in Niger.

The President made this known in a statement titled “Unpleasant development in Niger Republic” on Wednesday.

He said he is in close consultations with other leaders in the region to thwart any action that will hinder the growth of democracy in Niger Republic.

Niger Republic is one of the most unstable nations in the region and the world, with four coups since independence from France in1960, and the most recent was in March 2021, the foiled attempt took place when a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace, days before Bazoum was sworn in.

Tinubu said: “I wish to say that we are closely monitoring the situation and developments in Niger, and we will do everything within our powers to ensure democracy is firmly planted, nurtured, well rooted and thrives in our region.

“I am in close consultation with other leaders in our region, and we shall protect our hard-earned democracy in line with the universally acceptable principle of constitutionalism.

“As the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I state without equivocation that Nigeria stands firmly with the elected government in Niger and equally conveys the absolute resolve of leaders in our sub-region that we shall not waiver or flinch on our stand to defend and preserve constitutional order.”

Persecondnwes recalls that in the past three years West Africa has been rocked by military uprisings. Rogue soldiers have overthrown the presidents of Mali (August 2020 and May 2021), Guinea (September 2021) and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022).

Sudan is the only African country that has recorded the highest coup attempts — the country has had 16 attempted takeovers with six of them successful, Burundi also have experienced 11 separate coups, mostly driven by the tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi communities.