Niger Closes Airspace Over ‘Threat of Intervention’ As Junta Defies Deadline

• Bazoum was detained on 26 July, and Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard, later proclaimed himself the new leader
• They issued their ultimatum a week ago, demanding the generals relinquish power by midnight local time, which has now passed

The “threat of intervention” forced Niger to block its airspace after the junta disregarded an order from the West African grouping ECOWAS to restore democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum or risk military intervention.

Flightradar24, a company that tracks flights, reportedly indicates that there aren’t any aircraft flying over Niger right now.

A junta spokesman claimed that Niger’s armed forces are prepared to defend the nation, despite earlier warnings from ECOWAS that it might resort to force if President Mohamed Bazoum was not restored on Sunday.

After Bazoum was taken into custody on July 26, the presidential guard’s commander, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, proclaimed himself the new leader.

The military takeover has been internationally condemned, including by former colonial power France and the rest of the European Union, as well as the United Nations and the United States.

Reading a statement on national television on Sunday, the representative from Niger’s junta said they had information that “a foreign power” was preparing to attack Niger.

After a crisis meeting in Nigeria, the West African bloc military chiefs said on Friday they had drawn up a detailed plan for the possible use of force.

“All the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out here, including the resources needed, the how and when we are going deploy the force,” said Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security.

And he added: “We want diplomacy to work, and we want this message clearly transmitted to them [Niger’s junta] that we are giving them every opportunity to reverse what they have done”.

They issued their ultimatum a week ago, demanding the generals relinquish power by midnight local time, which has now passed.