Niger: Gunfire reported near airport months after jihadist attack

Fresh security concerns emerged in Niger on Thursday after residents reported sustained gunfire near Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital, Niamey, months after the facility was targeted in a major jihadist attack.

Witnesses told AFP that the shooting began around 6:00 a.m. local time and appeared to originate from the entrance of the airport, one of the country’s most strategic transport hubs.

“I heard the first shots around 6 o’clock. The shooting was coming from the airport entrance,” a resident told AFP by telephone.

Another resident also confirmed hearing gunfire in the same area, suggesting the disturbance was concentrated around the airport’s main access route.

Authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report, leaving the cause of the shooting unclear.

The development comes nearly six months after Diori Hamani International Airport came under attack in January in an operation claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS). Nigerien security forces, supported by allied Russian fighters, successfully repelled the assault, preventing what could have been a major security breach in the capital.

The January attack was considered unprecedented because jihadist violence in Niger had largely been confined to remote regions of the country, particularly areas bordering Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The assault raised concerns that insurgent groups were expanding their reach into key national infrastructure and urban centres.

In the aftermath of the attack, authorities demolished thousands of illegally constructed buildings in a densely populated neighbourhood close to the airport. Officials said investigations revealed that militants had infiltrated the area and used it as a base to facilitate the operation.

Niger has spent more than a decade battling insurgent groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, with attacks continuing to threaten security across the Sahel region despite ongoing military operations.

While details surrounding Thursday’s gunfire remain limited, the incident is likely to renew concerns over security in Niamey and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to militant threats.

Security agencies are expected to provide further information as investigations continue.