The Nigerian Government has expressed deep concern over the reported attempted military coup in neighbouring Niger Republic, urging the country’s authorities and citizens to pursue an inclusive and peaceful return to stability and constitutional order.

The Federal Government, in a statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, said it was closely monitoring the political and security situation in Niger.

Nigeria noted that it shares “close historical, fraternal and cultural bonds” with Niger, stressing that peace and stability in the country would have a direct impact on Nigeria, the wider West African sub-region and the Sahel.

“Any resort to the use of force to settle political differences detracts from this objective,” the statement said.

The government therefore urged the authorities and people of Niger to work together towards an inclusive and participatory process aimed at restoring stability and constitutional order.

The statement came after Niger’s military authorities reported that they had foiled an attempted mutiny in the capital, Niamey, following hours of heavy gunfire and clashes around strategic government and military installations.

Niger has been under the control of a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani since the 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

The junta said on Saturday that it had regained control after mutinous soldiers attempted to advance on the presidential palace and disrupted broadcasting operations at the state-owned Tele Sahel.

Niger’s Defence Minister, General Salifou Mody, said a group of soldiers had taken some troops hostage at a barracks in Niamey before opening fire at unspecified “sensitive sites”.

He said security forces had moved swiftly to restore order and appealed to residents to remain calm.

The first shots were reportedly heard shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time, with gunfire and explosions continuing until daybreak.

Residents described heavy exchanges of gunfire around Air Force Base 101, located within the international airport complex and regarded as a strategic military facility in the capital.

Diplomatic and security sources told AFP that members of Niger’s presidential guard, supported by Russian forces, had recaptured the base and killed some of the mutineers.

The clashes also affected the country’s state broadcaster, which went off the air for more than an hour before resuming transmission at about 10:00 a.m. local time.

A security source told AFP that the mutineers had attempted to enter the presidential palace but were repelled by the presidential guard.

The Nigerien military subsequently urged citizens to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.

By late Saturday morning, calm had reportedly returned to central Niamey, although armoured military vehicles were seen deployed around sensitive locations near the airport.

Air Force Base 101 is also home to the headquarters of Russia’s Africa Corps in Niger and serves as the command centre of the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.

The AES later described the incident as a “destabilization plot” and said it had been the result of what it called a betrayal by a group of soldiers.

According to the confederation, the alleged plot was ultimately “contained and thwarted.”