'It's time for action': West African leaders threaten intervention in Niger if coup is not reversed in a week

West African nations imposed economic and travel sanctions on Niger's new military leaders on Sunday, threatening intervention if they fail to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Bazoum within a week.

Otherwise, the bloc said it would take "all measures" to restore constitutional order.

"Such measures may include the use of force for this effect," it said in a statement, adding thatEconomic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) defence chiefs were to meet on Sunday.

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"No more time for us to send a warning signal… It’s time for action",Bola Tinubu, president of Nigeria and ECOWAS chairman was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Also watch |Coup d'état in Niger: Military detains Niger's President Bazoum

Last year, the bloc agreed to create a regional security force to intervene against jihadists and prevent military coups, but details on the force and its funding have not been outlined.

The development came shortly after Niger's military leaders issued a stern warning against any armed intervention.

Coup in Niger

Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, receives significant official development assistance amounting to close to $2 billion annually, as reported by the World Bank. It also holds strategic importance as a security partner for France and the United States, who utilise the nation as a base to combat Islamist insurgency in the broader Sahel region of West and Central Africa.

For the first time, West African leaders are considering a military intervention to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted when General Abdourahamane Tiani declared himself the new head of state.

The coup in Niger, unfolding since Wednesday, has drawn widespread condemnation from neighbouring countries and international partners, including the United States, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and former colonial power France.

They have all refused to recognise the new leaders led by General Abdourahamane Tiani.

Apart from its political and security significance, Niger is also the world's seventh-largest producer of uranium, a radioactive metal used for nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.

Several countries, including the United States, France, Italy, and Germany, have deployed troops to Niger for military training and missions against Islamist insurgents.

(With inputs from agencies)

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