Niger President Mohamed Bazoum has been removed from power, according to a group of soldiers who appeared on the West African nation's national television, hours after the president was held in the presidential palace.
Reading from a statement, the soldiers said, "The country's borders are closed and a nationwide curfew declared."
Niger's presidency posted a statement earlier on Wednesday saying that presidential guards had started an "anti-republican" movement "in vain" that morning, but it was later deleted.
The statement followed reports that presidential guards had cut access to the palace and blocked Bazoum inside.