President Bola Tinubu, the United Nations Secretary-General and the United States have condemned efforts to seize power by force in an apparent coup attempt to oust President Mohamed Bazoum in the Sahel state of Niger Republic yesterday.
Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS, said military take over in one of its member-states would be rejected.
Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari also described the attempted coup as “utterly naïve, despicable, and unacceptable”.
Buhari urged African leaders to “remain united against coups under whatever guise or form”, and warned “coup plotters to learn from history on the consequences of instability caused by violent takeover of governments”.
Soldiers belonging to Niger’s presidential guard surrounded and restricted access to President Mohamed Bazoum’s office and residence.
“The army has given them an ultimatum,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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 support of the national armed forces and the national guard.”
“The army and national guard are ready to attack the elements of the PG who are involved in this fit of temper if they do not return to a better disposition,” the presidency said.
