Niger soldiers say government’s overthrown

Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum was reportedly removed from power Wednesday, as soldiers made an announcement on state television that they had taken control of the government.

The troops asserted that security forces were now in charge of managing the nation and urged outsiders not to interfere.

They identified themselves as the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, stating that they had taken control for a variety of reasons.

“This is as a result of the continuing degradation of the security situation, the bad economic and social governance,” said Air Force Col. Major Amadou Abdramane.

Throughout the day, there was uncertainty as reports came of presidential guard members surrounding Bazoum’s palace and detaining the president.

At the time of the soldiers’ announcement, it remained unclear where the leader was.

The official Twitter account of Niger’s presidency reported an “anti-Republican demonstration” by members of the elite guard unit earlier on Wednesday.

The tweet stated that Bazoum and his family were safe and that the army and national guard were “ready to attack” if those involved did not stand down.

The reported mutiny would be a “nightmare scenario for Western powers who had betted on Bazoum and Niger as new security anchor for the Sahel,” said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

With News Wire Services