Nairobi, April 2 -- Events in Niger took a dramatic turn days before the country was about to make history by conducting the first transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since its independence from France in 1960. In the early hours of the morning a military unit, reportedly from a nearby air base in the capital city, Niamey, launched an attempted coup.
The attack was quickly repelled by presidential guards. Adejuwon Soyinka asks Olayinka Ajala, an expert on Niger Republic, to unpack what this means for the future of the country.
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What lies behind the coup attempt?
There has been tension in the country since the results of run-off presidential elections were announced on the 23rd of February when...