Coup d’etat

There is never a dull moment in Niger. Last trip devastating floods. This trip a coup d’etat. There was gunfire and tanks were in the streets near the presidential palace in Niamey yesterday, and the president along with several ministers were taken captive. Today is quiet there. I am 1,000k from all that in Agadez and the people in the north tend to shrug their shoulders about what the politicians do. Sound familiar? The coup claims it is a patriotic act that is trying to restore democracy. No word yet whether Tandja has resigned as asked or where the ministers who were taken with him are. But the coup is a fait accompli and there is a nouvel ordre. All I can say is all seems calm to me except there is a curfew from 6pm to 6 am. The airports are temporarily closed which puts our medical mission in jeopardy, but I have high hopes. My sources who work at the airport think it will reopen by the end of the weekend so we all wait. More news as I get it….oops just got word that the curfew is lifted and the borders reopened. Cooooool!