An attempted coup has been reported in Niger Republic following heavy gunfire close to the presidential palace.

The coup attempt was, however, foiled and a group of soldiers behind the assault has been arrested, AFP reports.

The attack came two days ahead of President-elect Mohamed Bazoum’s inauguration.

It will be the first transfer of power between two democratically elected presidents in Niger since the country became independent in 1960.

There have been increasing attacks by jihadist groups since Bazoum’s election in February, creating political tensions in the country, the BBC’s Lalla Sy reports.

His rival, Mahamane Ousmane, has rejected the result and his supporters were earlier banned from holding a protest on Wednesday in the capital, Niamey.

Former US Sahel envoy J Peter Pham tweeted that both the President-elect and outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou were safe.

“Reports tonight of gunfire and rumors of mutiny in #Niamey, just a week after terrorists killed 100+ & just days before ��#Niger is to have its first-ever handover from one elected president to another. Alhamdulillah, @IssoufouMhm & @mohamedbazoum are safe & the incident is over,” he tweeted.

The gunfire reportedly started around 03:00 local time (02:00 GMT), with people in the capital saying it lasted between 15 and 30 minutes.

“We heard shots from heavy and light weapons and it lasted 15 minutes before stopping, followed by shots from light weapons,” a resident told the AFP news agency.

A security source told Reuters that it was a unit from a nearby air base that had tried to seize the presidential palace in Niamey.

The assailants were pushed back amid shelling and gunfire by the presidential guard, security sources told both AFP and Reuters.

President Issoufou is stepping down after two five-year terms. His successor, Mr Bazoum, is a former interior minister from the governing party.

But Ousmane, who was elected president 1993 and overthrown in a military coup three years later, had alleged February’s poll was rigged and some violent protests followed.

The US embassy issued a statement following the unrest overnight.

Location: Niger

Event: U.S. Embassy Niamey will be closed on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 due to gunshots heard near our neighborhood. Consular services are suspended until further notice. All personnel are encouraged to stay home until further notice.

The security situation throughout Niger remains fluid in the post-election period with the possibility of unrest and/or intercommunal clashes around the country. There may be a corresponding increase in police presence and traffic delays on major roads. Please exercise caution.

The Embassy will continue to review the security situation and provide additional information, as appropriate.

The armed forces in the coup-prone West African are poorly equipped and trained, and number about 25,000 in a country twice the size of the US state of Texas, AFP reports.

Niger is the world’s poorest nation, according to the UN’s development rankings for 189 countries.