Niger Junta Shuts Airspace Over Military Intervention Threat

Afimag.com –

Niger’s coup leaders have shut down airspace till further notice as a result of threat from ECOWAS to use military intervention to restore democracy in the country.

BBC had reported that the flight tracking website Flightradar24 proved there are currently no aircraft in Niger’s skies.

Recall that ECOWAS, earlier, said it would use force if President Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated on Sunday, but a junta spokesman said Niger’s armed forces are ready to defend the country.

Bazoum was removed from office on July 26, 2023, and Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard, later declared himself the new leader.

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.