Gambiaj.com – (NIAMEY, Niger) – Heavy gunfire and loud explosions of unknown origin were heard late Wednesday night around Niger’s main international airport in Niamey, triggering panic among passengers and residents and prompting the diversion of several flights, authorities and witnesses said.
The exchanges of fire began shortly after midnight in the vicinity of Diori Hamani International Airport, located in the southeastern part of the capital.
The area hosts several strategically sensitive installations, including Niger’s Air Force Base 101, a drone facility, and the headquarters of the joint anti-jihadist force established by Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. It is also known to house a major consignment of uranium awaiting export.
The significant store of uranium yellowcake, estimated at around 1,000 metric tons, located at the airport for export, was confirmed to be unaffected by the attack.
The uranium had been moved to the airport late last year after Nigerien authorities seized control of the Somair mine from a French nuclear group.
Although calm returned after about an hour, the identity of the attackers and the cause of the incident remained unclear on Thursday morning. No official casualty figures have been released, and the ruling military authorities have yet to issue a formal statement.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed streaks of light in the night sky, suggesting that air-defence systems may have been activated, possibly in response to a drone attack.
Residents living near the airport reported intense detonations and sustained gunfire, with some describing damage near the runways, including burned vehicles and scorched ground.
Panic at The Airport and The Neighborhood
The violence caused scenes of panic inside and around the airport. Some passengers reportedly fled the area on foot, while flight-tracking data indicated that several commercial and cargo flights were diverted to neighboring countries during the unrest.
Security analysts say the incident bears similarities to recent attacks attributed to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group that has intensified operations against high-profile military and security targets across the Sahel.
The group has sought to undermine military-led governments in the region by demonstrating their inability to secure key installations.
The incident comes at a particularly tense time for Niger. Since the 2023 military coup that brought General Abdourahamane Tiani to power, the country has expelled French and U.S. counter-terrorism forces, even as militant violence surged.
Nearly 2,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks across Niger in 2025, according to security assessments.
By Thursday morning, heavy security had been deployed around Diori Hamani International Airport, effectively locking down the site.
While a fragile calm has returned to Niamey, the absence of official information has left residents anxious, amid fears that the overnight violence could signal a new and more aggressive phase of the insurgency reaching the heart of the capital.
