Niger Republic’s military authorities have said a group of mutinous soldiers attempted to overthrow the government on Saturday after attacking strategic locations in the capital, Niamey, including the Diori Hamani International Airport and areas around the presidential palace.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ELLAN.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported across parts of Niamey from about 1 a.m. local time and continued into the early hours of Saturday, triggering uncertainty over the security situation in the West African country.
The ruling National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland said soldiers acting “in breach of discipline and military regulations” attempted to seize control of sensitive installations and held fellow military personnel hostage at Base 101, located near the airport.
The airport, about 10 kilometres from the presidential palace, also houses a military airbase, the headquarters of Russia’s Africa Corps in Niamey and the command centre of the Alliance of Sahel States joint force involving Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.
Security sources said the mutinous soldiers also attempted to breach the security perimeter around the presidency.
Niger’s Minister of National Defence, General Salifou Mody, said loyal security forces responded to the attacks and were progressively regaining control of the affected areas.
Authorities subsequently urged residents to remain calm and continue their normal activities.
“Our Defence and Security Forces are mobilised for the Defence of the Fatherland. Let us remain united, vigilant and supportive,” the ruling council said.
State television, which later resumed broadcasting, reported that mutinous soldiers from a military base in Niamey had opened fire on “sensitive sites” but said security forces had reacted quickly and “contained this disturbance.”
The security situation, however, remained fluid for several hours.
By late morning, security sources said the presidential palace appeared to have been secured by forces loyal to the government, while the situation around the airport remained less certain.
Two security sources said loyalist forces had been deployed to regain full control of the airport, either through negotiations with the mutineers or by force.
It was not immediately clear how many soldiers had joined the mutiny or how widely they had deployed across the capital.
A Nigerien security source and researcher Yvan Guichaoua of the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies said soldiers from Ouallam, Tera and Dosso in the south-west were also believed to have participated in the unrest.
Troops operating in those areas have suffered substantial casualties in fighting against armed Islamist groups, and analysts have previously pointed to growing frustration among some frontline personnel over the country’s deteriorating security situation.
The disturbances also briefly disrupted state broadcasting.
Residents said national television went off air during the unrest, with Tele Sahel’s satellite and online broadcasts reportedly replaced by a black screen at about 9 a.m. local time. Transmission was restored approximately one hour later.
The attack initially created uncertainty over whether armed extremist groups were responsible because Niamey’s airport and military airbase had already been targeted twice earlier in the year.
Islamic State in the Sahel Province was linked to an attack on the facility in January, while the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims claimed responsibility for another attack in June.
Saturday’s incident, however, was subsequently described by Nigerien authorities as an internal military mutiny and attempted coup.
It represents one of the most serious internal challenges yet to the administration of General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who seized power in July 2023 after the military overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
Tchiani and other military leaders had justified their takeover partly on the deteriorating security situation and promised to improve the fight against armed groups operating across the Sahel.
More than three years later, however, attacks by groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and Islamic State continue in several parts of Niger, particularly in regions bordering Burkina Faso and Mali.
Since the 2023 coup, Niger has substantially altered its foreign and security relationships, reducing cooperation with traditional Western partners while developing closer ties with Russia.
Niger also withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States alongside Burkina Faso and Mali, with the three military-led countries establishing the Alliance of Sahel States.
The latest unrest comes amid broader political and economic changes in Niger, including efforts by the military authorities to assert greater state control over the country’s strategic mineral resources.
Niger is a major producer of uranium and also possesses significant oil and gold deposits.
The authorities recently reassigned uranium permits previously associated with French nuclear fuel company Orano and Canadian-linked GoviEx to state-backed entities as part of a wider restructuring of the sector.
Niger had historically been an important source of uranium for European nuclear energy, with production associated with the country previously accounting for a significant portion of Orano’s supply.
As of Saturday, the military authorities said government forces were restoring order, but complete details of the attempted mutiny, including the number of soldiers involved, casualties and arrests, had yet to be officially disclosed.
The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion.
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
