Niger was praised for its first democratic transfer of power in history. But a failed coup this week shows new president Mohamed Bazoum faces an uphill battle to stabilize his country.
Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s newly elected president, enters office on Easter Friday, just two days after heavily armed soldiers opened fire on the presidential palace in the capital Niamey.
Our Correspondent in the city of Damaram Mousa Bin Sala reports that over sixty president’s and heads of states witnessing the inauguration ceremony of president Basoum Muhammed Basoum .
State reports say the presidential guard repelled the attack after a thirty-minute gun battle. Arrests of military personnel quickly followed, with more expected, a government spokesperson confirmed.
To make matters worse, defeated presidential candidate Mahamane Ousmane is still refusing to accept the election results.
Instead, he took the matter to court, which precipitated mass protests led by his supporters.
Security forces were heavy handed in their suppression of the demonstrations, with at least two people killed and over one hundred arrested.
