Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported across parts of Niger’s capital, Niamey, early Saturday as armed attackers targeted the city’s international airport and a nearby military installation.
The incident also saw attempts to breach the security perimeter around the presidential palace, according to security sources and eyewitnesses.
Sustained shooting was heard around Diori Hamani International Airport and Base 101, a major military facility located within the airport complex. Residents also reported gunfire in the Plateau district, where the presidential palace and other key government institutions are located.
A security source told Reuters that attackers had struck the airport and tried to penetrate the security perimeter surrounding the presidency. However, the account could not immediately be independently verified.
Bana Wagana Ibrahim, a member of Niger’s Consultative Council and a deputy in the Alliance of Sahel States Parliament, said security forces had regained control of Base 101.
She described the incident as an attack on the military facility and said the country’s defence and security forces had brought the situation under control.
Another security source reportedly said some of the attackers had been neutralised while others escaped, prompting security personnel to launch search operations.
The developments caused heightened tension in the capital, with heavy exchanges of fire continuing around strategic locations during the early hours of Saturday.
Niger has remained under military rule since the 2023 coup that brought General Abdourahamane Tiani to power. The country has also continued to face attacks from armed extremist groups operating across the wider Sahel region.
The latest incident is particularly significant because the airport and its surrounding military facilities have previously come under attack.
As of the latest reports, authorities had not provided a detailed official account of the incident, and the exact identity and objective of the attackers remained unclear.
Security forces were reported to have taken control of key areas and continued operations to locate those who fled the scene.
