Military officers within the West African nation of Niger ousted the nation’s president on Wednesday, they mentioned in an deal with on nationwide tv, throwing into uncertainty the way forward for one of many West’s few dependable companions in a area marred by coups and widespread insecurity.

Army officers representing completely different branches of Niger’s army, which has acquired help from the United States and France, amongst others, mentioned that they had “put an end to the regime” of President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger, following a day of stalled negotiations the place members of the presidential guard held him hostage within the presidential palace.

The officers eliminated Mr. Bazoum “due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance,” Col. Amadou Abdramane, an official of the Nigerien air pressure, mentioned in a press release learn on tv. The assertion additionally mentioned the officers had been closing the nation’s borders.

The announcement, late on Wednesday night time, may additional upend the facility stability in West Africa, a risky area with nations led by getting older presidents clinging to energy and younger army officers who seized management by pressure.

Niger, an enormous and landlocked nation within the stretch of Africa generally known as the Sahel, has been a well-liked accomplice of the West, as neighboring nations confronted coups. Niger and different nations within the area have been stricken by Islamist insurgencies prior to now few years.

The United States has 1,100 troops in Niger and two drone bases in its northern desert. France, a former colonial energy within the area, deployed extra troops to Niger prior to now yr after its relations with army juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso soured.

Mr. Bazoum was being held hostage along with his spouse at his residence within the palace within the capital, Niamey, as of Wednesday night time, in accordance with an aide.

“It’s over. It’s a coup,” the aide mentioned, talking on the situation of anonymity due to security considerations.

The dramatic developments capped a day of uncertainty that started with members of the presidential guard detaining Mr. Bazoum.

Until late on Wednesday night time, it was unclear who was supporting the mutineers.

Among the army officers gathered round Colonel Abdramane had been the deputy head of employees of the army, and senior members of the nationwide and presidential guard. Colonel Abdramane mentioned the coup leaders would protect Mr. Bazoum’s security.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in New Zealand, referred to as on Thursday for his speedy launch.

Niger has skilled 4 army coups since independence from France in 1960. Mr. Bazoum was elected in 2021 in Niger’s first peaceable, democratic switch of energy since independence. As the leaders of neighboring Mali and close by Central African Republic have turned to Russia’s Wagner personal army firm for defense, Mr. Bazoum caught with France and the United States, which have lengthy carried out sensitive operations in Niger.

The workplace of the Nigerien presidency had said on Twitter on Wednesday, in a submit that’s not seen, that “elements of the Presidential Guard engaged in an anti-Republican move and tried in vain to obtain the support of the National Armed Forces and the National Guard.”

It added that the army was standing able to “attack the elements” behind the mutiny if they didn’t relent. But the army didn’t assault.

The president of neighboring Benin, Patrice Talon, introduced earlier on Wednesday that he was going to Niger in an effort to mediate a peaceable finish to the disaster. The United States, the United Nations, the European Union and regional our bodies referred to as on the mutinying troopers to face down.

By late Wednesday, a lot of central Niamey was abandoned. Several hundred individuals had mounted a protest exterior the nationwide Parliament earlier within the day to demand the discharge of their president. “Free Bazoum!” they cried, earlier than marching towards the presidential palace.

Soon after, bursts of gunfire had been heard coming from the palace. Reporters mentioned they appeared to have been fired by the presidential guard in search of to disperse the protesters. A reporter for France’s TV5 station posted video of individuals fleeing the gunfire.

In a press release, ECOWAS, the regional physique of nations, condemned what it called the “attempted coup” and referred to as on the “coup plotters” to launch Mr. Bazoum with out situation.

The disaster will probably be a serious check for ECOWAS’ new chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, who took the helm of the physique’s rotating presidency lower than two weeks in the past and vowed to point out no tolerance for coups within the area.

A army takeover in Niger could be West Africa’s sixth coup since 2020, following earlier military coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali.

A coup additionally occurred within the northeastern nation of Sudan in November 2021, laying the bottom for the catastrophic battle between rival army factions that erupted in April this yr.

The European Union has lengthy seen Niger as a serious accomplice within the effort to curb unlawful immigration from Africa. Last yr, the bloc pledged to offer $1.3 billion to shift Niger’s economic system away from oil. It has additionally invested tens of tens of millions of {dollars} in its training system — Niger has one of many world’s highest birthrates. During a go to to the nation in March, Mr. Blinken additionally introduced $150 million in humanitarian help to Niger and neighboring nations.

Ulf Laessing, the top of the Sahel program on the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, who traveled to Niamey final week, mentioned in an interview on Wednesday that Mr. Bazoum could have confronted rising discontent from elements of the army that haven’t acquired funding from Western companions.

In assertion launched earlier than the Nigerien army officers introduced that they had eliminated Mr. Bazoum, the State Department condemned “any effort to seize power by force and disrupt the constitutional order.” Jake Sullivan, the nationwide safety adviser on the White House, echoed calls to launch Mr. Bazoum and referred to as Niger “a critical partner for the United States.”

Lynsey Chutel contributed reporting from Johannesburg, and Eric Schmitt from Washington.