Heavy gunfire and explosions broke out in the early hours of Thursday near the international airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, before subsiding a few hours later, residents told AFP.
Videos shared by locals showed flashes of light across the sky accompanied by loud blasts, while other footage captured flames rising several metres high and multiple vehicles left charred.
The incident occurred near Diori Hamani International Airport, which hosts an air force base and is located about 10 kilometres from the presidential palace.
According to residents living close to the airport, the shooting began shortly after midnight and calm was restored roughly two hours later.
The cause of the gunfire and whether there were any casualties remained unclear at the time of reporting.
Sirens from fire service vehicles responding to the scene were heard in the early hours, residents added.
In a related development, pro-military activist Ibrahim Bana posted a video on Facebook urging residents of Niamey to take to the streets to “defend the country.”
The airport also serves as the headquarters of a joint military force formed by Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to combat jihadist groups operating across the Sahel region.
Niger has been under military rule for more than two years, following a 2023 coup led by junta leader Abdourahamane Tiani that ousted the country’s elected civilian government.
Since then, the military government has expelled French and U.S. forces previously involved in counterterrorism operations.
Niger and its regional allies, also governed by military juntas, have formed the Alliance of Sahel States and announced plans for a 5,000-strong joint military force.
According to conflict-monitoring group ACLED, jihadist violence in Niger claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2025.
Meanwhile, a large uranium shipment with an undisclosed buyer, which departed from northern Niger in late November, has reportedly been stranded at the airport for several weeks.
