Niger coup: President Bazoum remains detained as world leaders slam army's 'illegitimate authority'

The soldiers of thelandlocked West African country and former French colony, Niger, announced a coup on the country's national television and said they have deposed Mohamed Bazoum, the elected president of a country of over 25.3 million. An army spokesperson said that the country's security forces were "putting an end to the regime".

Niger President Mohamed Bazoum remains detained by troops since early on Wednesday.

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The army said they have dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and locked the country's borders with Libya to its northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest.

Niger is a landlocked nation in Western Africa | Google Maps

"All external partners are asked not to interfere," Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, alongside nine other uniformed soldiers behind him, said late Wednesday (July 26).

"Land and air borders are closed until the situation has stabilised."

Col Maj Abdramane said the soldiers were acting for the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).

Niger coup: Global reactions

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres condemned the developments in Niger and said that the UN stands by the government and the people of Niger.

The African Union also denounced the coup and urged the Niger army persons to "immediately cease the unacceptable actions".

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, also the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), deployed a delegation led by President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, to mediate the supposed military standoff which has since transitioned into a supposed coup.

"ECOWAS will not tolerate illegitimate authority," Tinubu said.

At the time of filing this report, the high-powered ECOWAS delegation hadarrived in Niger's capital Niamey to "engage with coup plotters". The delegation comprises two former governors, a military general, and a diplomat from Nigeria. It remains unclear whether the talks have started between the concerned stakeholders or not.

The United States called for the 'immediate release' of Niger's president. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke with Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum.

"I spoke with President Bazoum earlier this morning and made clear that the United States resolutely supports him as the democratically elected president of Niger. We call for his immediate release," he said while speaking at a joint presser with New Zealand's foreign minister as part of his two-day visit to the country.

French foreign ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said Paris was watching the situation carefully, and "condemned attempts to take power by force".

France, she said, has joined African Union calls to restore the integrity of democratic institutions in the country.

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