Mutinous Niger soldiers claim to have overthrown president

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Niger government on Wednesday following an apparent coup in the fragile state. Disgruntled members of the elite Presidential Guard sealed off access to President Mohamed Bazoum's residence and offices in the capital Niamey, and after talks broke down «refused to release» him, a presidential source said.

Regional and global leaders called for the release of Bazoum, who entered office two years ago in Niger's first peaceful transition of power since independence. The president of neighbouring Benin, Patrice Talon, would head to Niamey for mediation efforts, the head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said.

In a televised address late Wednesday, Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane said: «We, the defence and security forces… have decided to put an end to the regime» of President Bazoum. «This follows the continued deterioration of the security situation, poor economic and social governance,» he added, surrounded by nine other uniformed soldiers.

They said «all institutions» in the country would be suspended, borders were closed, and a curfew had been imposed «until further notice», from 10 pm to 5 am. Abdramane sought to reassure «the national and international community with regard to respect for the physical and moral integrity of the deposed authorities in accordance with the principles of human rights».

One of a dwindling group of pro-Western leaders in the Sahel, Bazoum was elected in April 2021, taking the helm of a country burdened by poverty, chronic instability and plagued in recent years by jihadist insurgency. In a message on Twitter, which is being rebranded as X, the president's office said «elements of the Presidential Guard (PG) had a fit of temper… (and) tried unsuccessfully to gain the