Soldiers storm presidential palace in Niger
Source: The Indian Express
Military music continued to be aired on radio and television stations sending signals that a coup has taken place in the country but no announcement has been made by the plotters.
Sources in N Djamena, capital of Niger, say sounds of gunfire scared away residents near the palace and the whole country is in suspense as government officials decilned to disclose developments.
The president was elected in a democratic elections held in 1999 after several coup attempts but refused to step aside last December as the constitution stipulated. He dissolved parliament and awarded himself some powers to rule by decree contrary to the country's constitution.
Since then, the regional power bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended the country before appointing a negotiator in the impasse.
Opposition groups have been campaigning for the president to conduct elections and they have been very vocal in the condemnation of a referendum he conducted after which he changed the constitution and gave himself some special powers.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's acting president Goodluck Jonathan, also the chairman of regional bloc (Economic Community of West African States (ECPWAS), condemned the coup attempt.
"I condemn all unconstitutional and undemocratic change of political leadership in the West African region," Jonathan said.
"The Chairman of ECOWAS has reiterated the call of the February 16, 2010 Summit of ECOWAS Head of State and Government to continue to facilitate the mediation effort of Nigeria in close collaboration with African Union.
To that effect, the Chairman of ECOWAS is in consultation with the Chairman, AU Mediation Committee, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, and General Abdusalami Abubakar, the ECOWAS mediator, with a view to the speedy resumption of the Inter-Nigerien dialogue," a statement issued from his office said.
Fri, Feb 19 10:06 AM
Armed soldiers on Friday stormed the presidential palace in Niger in an apparent coup attempt against President Mamadou Tandja.
Loud explosions and long bursts of gunfire could be heard as army men took control of the presidential palace while he was chairing a meeting with ministers. His guards made frantic efforts to secure the president but to no avail and his whereabouts were not known, sources said.Military music continued to be aired on radio and television stations sending signals that a coup has taken place in the country but no announcement has been made by the plotters.
Sources in N Djamena, capital of Niger, say sounds of gunfire scared away residents near the palace and the whole country is in suspense as government officials decilned to disclose developments.
The president was elected in a democratic elections held in 1999 after several coup attempts but refused to step aside last December as the constitution stipulated. He dissolved parliament and awarded himself some powers to rule by decree contrary to the country's constitution.
Since then, the regional power bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended the country before appointing a negotiator in the impasse.
Opposition groups have been campaigning for the president to conduct elections and they have been very vocal in the condemnation of a referendum he conducted after which he changed the constitution and gave himself some special powers.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's acting president Goodluck Jonathan, also the chairman of regional bloc (Economic Community of West African States (ECPWAS), condemned the coup attempt.
"I condemn all unconstitutional and undemocratic change of political leadership in the West African region," Jonathan said.
"The Chairman of ECOWAS has reiterated the call of the February 16, 2010 Summit of ECOWAS Head of State and Government to continue to facilitate the mediation effort of Nigeria in close collaboration with African Union.
To that effect, the Chairman of ECOWAS is in consultation with the Chairman, AU Mediation Committee, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, and General Abdusalami Abubakar, the ECOWAS mediator, with a view to the speedy resumption of the Inter-Nigerien dialogue," a statement issued from his office said.
Agencies
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