Attempted Coup: Niger junta still in control, but situation remains tense

On Saturday, Niger Republic came under an attack by mutineers who attempted to seize power from the junta led by Abdourahamane Tchiani. After fighting that lasted for hours, Mr Tchiani’s government still remains in power.

The mutinous soldiers took the regime by surprise, besieging and holding sway over the Diori Hamani International Airport and Air Base 101. They also attempted to breach the fortified perimeter of the presidential palace. The attack briefly disrupted the state television and radio broadcasts.

Footage seen by our reporter showed armed soldiers, tactical armoured vehicles and troops securing the streets of Niamey. The mutineers seized control of Air Base 101, the paratroopers’ camp and other positions near the international airport.

The mutineers released a statement from the air base, announcing that Mr Tchiani was no longer the head of state. The statement, signed under the name of Armed Forces for the Restoration of the Fatherland, also announced the dissolution of the constitution, border closure and restriction of movement.

While the fighting continued, it was reported that the head of the junta requested the intervention of Africa Corps, a Russian-backed mercenary group which has entrenched itself in Sahelian states led by military rulers.

Before that, the mercenaries, stationed at the air base, had come under attack by the rebellious soldiers, prompting them to defend themselves. After a formal request to neutralise the mutineers, the Africa Corps collaborated with the Nigerien Presidential Guard, launching an air and ground offensive, making it a second primary mission in the region since their show of strength in Bamako in April.

This led to the killing and arrest of the mutinous soldiers, with the Nigerien government announcing that it remained in control.

In solidarity with Niger

In the face of the attempted mutiny, several countries sided with the junta in Niger.

Given its friction with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), it is expected that no member of the regional bloc will stand in solidarity with Niger. But its allies, Burkina Faso and Mali, with whom it co-founded the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), did throw their weight behind their falling member.

The AES, in a statement issued in Ouagadougou, affirmed it remained “fully committed to and mobilised alongside Niger, sharing its determination to continue the struggle for sovereignty and peace.”

It also praised “the loyalty, courage, and sense of duty of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces who, true to their oath, confronted this mutiny and helped restore order.”

Affirming its solidarity with Niger and its people, the Turkiye Republic called for “restraint” to preserve the country’s security and stability.

Algeria also assured the Niamey government of its “full solidarity and firm support” to help the nation overcome the ordeal and restore security.

Who are the mutineers?

The full identities of the mutinous soldiers remain sketchy at press time. However, footage of captured soldiers suggests that they are mainly young and junior-ranked personnel.

Yet, some unverified reports have linked some senior officers to the plot. Among them are Kimba Tahirou, a colonel, and Abdoulaye Idé, a captain promoted to the rank in 2021, according to I-Sahel.

According to social media claims, Mr Tahirou, who is the head of the national gendarmerie, has sided with the mutineers.

The government has not issued a statement to debunk these claims, and it has also not mentioned the names and ranks of the young officer arrested in connection with the incident.

Why the action?

Most of the soldiers that took part in the mutiny were drawn from active frontlines around Ouallam, Téra, and Dosso, including Tillabériwhere, suggesting that the action might have been triggered by worsening insecurity.

According to a jihadi researcher, Hasret Kargin, the mutiny erupted a day after the Nigerien junta released four al-Qaeda linked jihadists in exchange for 11 soldiers, a kind of policy that Mr Tchiani frowned at when he seized power in 2023.

The ousted President Mohamed Bazoum had pioneered the approach of dialogue, reconciliation and conditional amnesty as part of its counterterrorism strategies. But Mr Tchiani, upon overthrowing him, vowed a military-only approach.

A window for jihadists

Because soldiers abandoned their posts to stage the mutiny, jihadi groups like the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), JNIM and other terror networks might take advantage of their absence and the ongoing instability to further entrench themselves in the country.

“The security vacuum in these regions will allow these armed groups to secure further gains in territories where they are already strong,” Mr Kargin warned in an X post.

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He urged the Nigerien government not to see the plot as a mere mutinous uprising, as “recurrence of similar crises would not be surprising.”

Niger has suffered three similar attacks this year, with the two incidents staged by jihadists.

As of the time of this report, Niger’s larger and more powerful neighbour, Nigeria, has yet to comment on the coup. The relationship between the two countries became tense when Mr Bazoum was ousted by Mr Tchiani’s government.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who was the ECOWAS leader at the time, condemned the coup and led the regional organisation to impose sanctions and a blockade on Niger.

Although the blockade and sanctions have been lifted, the neighbours are yet to fully mend their relationship.