Gunfire and explosions were heard across several areas of Niamey, the capital of Niger, in the early hours of Saturday (29), including near the presidential palace and Diori Hamani International Airport. The reports came from two witnesses cited by the Reuters news agency and were carried by G1 and Al Jazeera. There is so far no official word on what triggered the shooting and no confirmed casualties, and the country's military government has not commented.

"There have been exchanges of heavy gunfire. The shooting is continuing around the palace," one of the witnesses told Reuters.

The incident took place in a country ruled by the military since July 2023, when a coup removed elected president Mohamed Bazoum. The junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani broke with traditional Western partners such as France, the former colonial power, and the United States, and turned to Russia for security cooperation. Along the same lines, Niger joined Mali and Burkina Faso, also under military rule, in a political and security alliance, and the three countries distanced themselves from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), the regional bloc that had pressed for a return to constitutional order.

What it means for Brazil

Brazil's direct stake in Niger is limited, but instability in the Sahel touches two agendas followed by Itamaraty, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry: security in the South Atlantic and policy toward Africa, which President Lula has restored as a diplomatic priority. The advance of armed groups and the weakening of regional blocs make cooperation with Africa's western coast harder on issues such as trafficking and maritime security. An escalation in Niamey would also weigh on debates in multilateral bodies where Brazil is active, starting with the United Nations (UN).

The underlying violence is not new. According to G1, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso continue to face attacks from jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, despite the juntas' promises to improve security. In March, at least 44 civilians were killed in southwestern Niger, and in January an attack hit the area around Niamey's international airport itself.

With no official statement, the central question remains open: whether the overnight gunfire was an attack by armed groups, an internal move within the armed forces or an isolated incident. Coups and attempted coups have followed one another in the Sahel since 2020, and shooting near presidential palaces has preceded changes of power in the region before, which calls for caution before any conclusion.