Niger Republic was thrown into fresh turmoil yesterday as the military ousted President Mamadou Tandja.

Armed soldiers stormed the presidential palace and held hostage Tandja and his ministers holding a meeting.

A Niger military official later last night announced on the nation’s three television channels that the country’s constitution had been suspended.

The order, read by Col. Goukoye Abdul Karimou, was attributed to the Superior Council for the Restoration of Democracy, which also suspended all institutions and called on the nation for calm and on the international community for support, said Ousman Tudou, a journalist for Radio Afini.

According to CNN, Tudou said President Tandja and his ministers were being held in a military camp.

No curfew had been ordered and people were in the streets at 11 p.m., around the time of the announcement, he said.

Dana Palade, a spokeswoman for the non-governmental organization World Vision, also told CNN from the capital city of Niamey that the official made the announcement on Doumial Tele Sahel and RTT.

Reports earlier monitored on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said soldiers captured Tandja while he was chairing his weekly cabinet meeting.

AFP later reported an official as saying Tandja was possibly being held at a military barracks about 20km (13 miles) west of Niamey.
The Niger President had caused unease in the West African country following his failure to organise elections when his tenure elapsed.

Tandja also dissolved the parliament and awarded himself some powers to rule by decree contrary to the country’s constitution.
Soldiers took over the presidential palace while he was chairing a meeting with ministers.
Guards made frantic efforts to secure the President to no avail.

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 had been made by the plotters as at press time.

Sources in N’Djamena, the capital of Niger, said sounds of gunfire scared away residents near the palace and the whole country has been left in suspense as government officials have not been bold enough to disclose developments.
In the meantime, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reacted to the developments in that country.

“The Chairman of ECOWAS has reiterated the call of the February 16 2010, Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to continue to facilitate the mediation effort of Nigeria in close collaboration with African Union,” his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Ima Niboro said in a statement.

Jonathan continued: “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.”

The Acting President was made ECOWAS chair a few days ago following the failing health condition of the former chair, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who is in Saudi Arabia receiving treatment.

Tandja was elected in democratic elections held in 1999 after a long period of coups. But he refused to step aside last December after two terms as stipulated in the constitution. He launched into a controversial constitution review and acquired unlimited terms and power.

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