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| Niger coup plot foiled - President Mahamadou Issoufou | Niger coup plot foiled - President Mahamadou Issoufou |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou has said his government has foiled a plot to overthrow him. | Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou has said his government has foiled a plot to overthrow him. |
| Mr Issoufou said the plotters planned to use "aerial firepower" to unseat him, in comments made on state TV. | Mr Issoufou said the plotters planned to use "aerial firepower" to unseat him, in comments made on state TV. |
| He was elected in 2011, bringing to an end years of military rule. Niger has seen several coups since becoming independent in 1960. | He was elected in 2011, bringing to an end years of military rule. Niger has seen several coups since becoming independent in 1960. |
| Tensions are high ahead of next year's presidential election, which Mr Issoufou is favourite to win. | Tensions are high ahead of next year's presidential election, which Mr Issoufou is favourite to win. |
| "The government has just foiled an evil attempt at destabilisation," he said. | "The government has just foiled an evil attempt at destabilisation," he said. |
| "The objective of these individuals, motivated by I don't know what, was to overthrow the democratically elected power." | "The objective of these individuals, motivated by I don't know what, was to overthrow the democratically elected power." |
| An investigation has been launched to identify those responsible and possible accomplices, he added. | |
| At least four senior military officials have been arrested, but no official reason has been given for their detention. | |
| Shortly after Mr Issoufou's election in 2011, 10 military figures were arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate him. | Shortly after Mr Issoufou's election in 2011, 10 military figures were arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate him. |
| Niger is rated by the UN as one of the world's least-developed nations and on Thursday, it was named as the worst country to live in. | |
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