THE RE-EMERGENCE OF MILITARY COUP IN THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER: IMPACTS ON SECURITY AND STABILITY IN NIGERIA.

West Africa has long struggled with political instability, violence, and frequent coups d’état. The Republic of Niger exemplifies this trend, having experienced multiple coups since its independence from France in 1960. The most recent coup was on July 26, 2023, which was led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani under the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State (CNRDS), resulting in the suspension of the constitution and the detention of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. This development destabilised Niger and posed significant threats to Nigeria's security and stability. Despite these challenges, the implications of Niger's political instability on Nigeria's security and stability remain underexplored. This study fills this gap by evaluating the interconnectedness of Niger's instability with Nigeria's security concerns, examining the impact of Niger's coup on Nigeria's leadership role, diplomatic influence, and economic stability. Hence, by employing the descriptive qualitative method, this study uses secondary sources from high-ranking journal articles and books, with data thematically analysed. It also applies regional security complex theory to aid in the analysis. The findings show that the coup has exacerbated Nigeria's cross-border security threats, disrupted diplomatic and trade relations, and caused economic challenges due to sanctions, even though it was later lifted. Consequently, this study recommends political and diplomatic solutions, along with efforts to facilitate Niger's successful return to democratic rule. This research will benefit scholars in political science, sociology, security, international studies, and policymakers while highlighting the need to explore further the recent coups in Mali and Burkina Faso and their implications for Nigeria's stability.