Niger coup: West African bloc prepared for military intervention

If all else fails ‘we are going into Niger’ – that was the message from a West African bloc of nations today.

Defence chiefs from the ECOWAS group have been meeting in the Ghanaian capital Accra, to discuss details of a stand-by military force.

The group’s commissioner insisted military intervention was a last resort – but voiced his frustration at efforts to engage diplomatically with Niger’s new junta. They took control in a coup late last month and have held the elected President in detention since.