Niamey: Following an apparent coup in the precarious nation of Niger on Wednesday, soldiers claimed to have overthrown the government.

President Mohamed Bazoum's residence and offices in the capital Niamey were blocked off by irate members of the elite Presidential Guard, who later "refused to release" him, according to a presidential source.

Leaders from the region and around the world demanded Bazoum's release. Bazoum took office two years ago during the nation of Niger's first peaceful transfer of power since independence.

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The leader of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that neighbouring Benin's president, Patrice Talon, would travel to Niamey to assist with mediation efforts.

Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane declared in a late-night television speech that "we, the defence and security forces... have decided to put an end to the regime" of President Bazoum.

He continued, surrounded by nine other uniformed soldiers, "This follows the continued deterioration of the security situation, poor economic and social governance."

Borders had been shut down, "all institutions" in the nation would be suspended, and a curfew had been put in place from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. "Until further notice," they declared.

The goal of Abdramane's statement was to reassure "the national and international community with regard to respect for the physical and moral integrity of the deposed authorities in accordance with the principles of human rights."

Bazoum, one of the few remaining pro-Western leaders in the Sahel, was elected in April 2021 and assumed control of a nation that had been beset by poverty, protracted instability, and jihadist insurgency in recent years.

The president's office stated in a tweet that "elements of the Presidential Guard (PG) had a fit of temper... (and) tried unsuccessfully to gain the support of the national armed forces and the national guard." Twitter is being rebranded as X.

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If the PG members who were involved in this fit of rage do not get their act together, the army and national guard are prepared to attack them, the presidency declared.

It continued, "The president and his family are fine.

An AFP reporter observed that Bazoum's supporters had attempted to approach the official complex hours after his detention but had been dispersed by members of the Presidential Guard who had fired warning shots.

One person was hurt, but it wasn't immediately clear if he had fallen or had been struck by a bullet.

The parties that make up the government of Niger's ruling coalition in Niamey condemned "a suicidal and anti-republican madness" in a statement, claiming that "certain elements of the presidential guard sequestered the President" and his family as well as the interior minister.

Outside of the country's borders, condemnation also poured in.

The African Union and ECOWAS both denounced the "attempted coup d'etat."

Bazoum's immediate and unconditional release was demanded by ECOWAS, which also issued a warning that anyone involved would be held accountable for ensuring his safety.

The European Union criticised "any attempt to destabilise democracy and threaten the stability" of Niger and said it "associates itself" with the ECOWAS statement.

Both US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres claimed to have spoken with Bazoum to express their support.

Former colonial powers France and Algeria, as well as the World Bank, all issued statements of condemnation. The World Bank stated that it "strongly condemns any attempt to seize power by force" or "destabilise" Niger.

Following a meeting with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja on Wednesday, President Talon was scheduled to arrive in Niamey on Thursday.

President Talon, according to Tinubu, would mediate between the Presidential Guard and Bazoum in an effort to reach a resolution.

Since gaining independence from France in 1960, the landlocked Sahel state has experienced four coups as well as numerous other attempts.

Former interior minister Bazoum served as Mahamadou Issoufou's right-hand man. Issoufou, who served two terms as president, resigned voluntarily.

However, recollections of the troubled past were never far away.

Days before Bazoum's inauguration, a coup attempt was reported, according to a security source.

The suspected ringleader was among the many people detained. In February, five individuals received 20-year sentences.

According to a Niger official, a second attempt to remove Bazoum took place in March of last year "while the president... was in Turkiye," and an arrest was made. The police have never made a public statement about the incident.

The 22 million-person country, which is two-thirds desert, frequently comes in last on the UN's Human Development Index, a measure of prosperity.

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Two jihadist campaigns are causing trouble in Niger: one in the southwest, which was brought in from Mali in 2015, and the other in the southeast, which is being fought by jihadists from northeastern Nigeria.

A humanitarian crisis has been sparked by the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes, further taxing the economy.

The United States and France, which have bases, are providing training and logistical support to the under-resourced military.