Amos Lungu, a spokesman for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), told Reuters on Monday that the regional bloc will hold a summit in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday to discuss the situation in Niger, while the ruling council warned against any military intervention.
Niamey is awaiting a response after the coup leaders ignored the deadline set for them by the group to return the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to his post, otherwise it may allow a military intervention.
ECOWAS, which has previously sent military forces to member states in turmoil, said it would issue a statement about its next steps in response to the junta’s refusal to bow to external pressure to step down by Sunday.
The group took a strong position on the coup that took place on July 26, the seventh in the region in three years.
As the deadline expired on Sunday, the junta closed Niger’s airspace until further notice and said it was deploying its forces to prepare for any interference.
“The armed forces of Niger and all the defense and security forces, backed by the unwavering support of our people, are ready to defend our territorial integrity,” a representative of the junta said, in a statement broadcast on national television.
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