NIAMEY, Niger — A junta that seized power in a coup in the West African nation of Niger named a platoon commander as its leader Friday, hours after soldiers announced on state TV that their group was in charge of the uranium-rich country.
Former colonial ruler France and the African Union both condemned the coup, when armed soldiers stormed the presidential palace in a hail of gunfire during broad daylight Thursday and kidnapped the country’s strongman leader. The whereabouts of President Mamadou Tandja remained unknown Friday.
The junta, which calls itself the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, declared it was being led by Salou Djibo, a little-known commander of a platoon based near the capital. It also announced the reopening of the country’s borders and the lifting of a curfew.
The junta has said it wants to turn Niger into “an example of democracy and of good governance.”
A diplomat in the region described the coup’s leaders as being part of an army faction that is disillusioned with Tandja for violating his constitutionally mandated term limit.
The country has become increasingly isolated since then, with the 15-nation regional bloc of West African states suspending Niger from its ranks and the U.S. government cutting off nonhumanitarian aid and imposing travel restrictions on some government officials.
However, there are also fears that the military group could attempt to cling to power in Niger.
