Gunfire heard near Presidential Palace. (BBC)
February, 16, 2010
Gun fires which lasted for half an hour have been rumored to be a coup plot against the president. The gun fire was heard in the direction of the presidential palace in the capital Niamey. Eye witnesses say they say military men in the area and injured people rushed to local hospitals.
Political tensions in the country have been rising for some time now and an unnamed intelligence said guards were trying to seize power. The president changed the constitution last year to allow him stand for a third term as president, since then there have been growing opposition. ECOWAS has been trying to dialogue between the opposition and the president on how best to solve the political turmoil in the country but to no avail. Niger has been an unstable country since it gained independence in 1960 from France.