Tension in Niger as President Bazoum’s residence offices sealed off

The residence and offices of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum were barricaded on Wednesday by members of the elite Presidential Guard, as reported by a source close to the President. However, the reason behind this action remains unclear.

Niger, a landlocked West African nation, has a history of instability, witnessing four coups since gaining independence from France in 1960, along with several other attempted power grabs.

Access to both President Bazoum’s official residence and his offices within the presidential complex in Niamey were sealed off. Despite this, there were no signs of abnormal military deployment or gunfire in the area, and traffic continued as usual, according to an AFP journalist on the scene.

President Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021, maintains close ties with France.

Niger’s last coup occurred in February 2010, leading to the overthrow of then-President Mamadou Tandja. More recently, on March 31, 2021, just two days before President Bazoum’s inauguration, an attempted coup was foiled, with several arrests, including the suspected ringleader, Captain Sani Gourouza.

In January 2018, nine soldiers and a civilian were sentenced to jail terms for attempting to overthrow President Bazoum’s predecessor, Mahamadou Issoufou, in 2015. The country has also been grappling with two jihadist campaigns, one in the southwest and the other in the southeast, further adding to its challenges.

Niger, lying in the heart of the Sahel region, faces numerous development struggles and has a rapidly growing population of 22.4 million. It is currently dealing with humanitarian crises and security concerns, making stability a critical issue for the nation’s future.