African Union suspends Niger after military coup

The organisation said it had imposed sanctions on the country and demanded a return to constitutional rule. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the coup, and appealed for calm and respect for human rights. Earlier, the new military council announced it was lifting a curfew and re-opening borders. Col Abdul Karimou said the situation was "under control" and that there was "no single voice of dissension" in the West African state. Thousands of people took to the streets on Friday in support of the takeover. Ten people are said to have died when the junta seized power. Tandja 'safe' Troops stormed the palace during a cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon, seizing Mr Tandja and his ministers before announcing that they were suspending the constitution and dissolving all state institutions. Col Goukoye Abdul Karimou read a statement signed by Col Salou Djibo Calling themselves the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (CSRD), the coup leaders promised to turn Niger into an example of "democracy anA senior army officer, Col Salou Djibo, was named head of a military government. The US said it believed the coup had been triggered by Mr Tandja's actions last August, when he held a controversial referendum to abolish limits on presidential terms of office. The opposition Co-ordination of Democratic Forces for the Republic (CFDR) - a coalition of political parties, trade unions and human rights groups formed last year to protest against the constitutional changes - welcomed it. d good governance" and save its people from "poverty, deception and corruption".