West African military chiefs have said they are prepared to use force to restore democracy in Niger following last month’s coup if diplomacy fails.
The generals from the Ecowas group of nations are meeting in Ghana to co-ordinate possible military intervention.
The Ecowas peace and security commissioner, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said almost all member states were committed to contributing troops and are ready to intervene in Niger.
He added that the coup leaders in Niger still had time to pull back from the brink – but said all options were on the table if they did not restore civilian rule.
The threat of intervention has raised fears of a wider conflict, as the military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso have said they would side with their counterparts in Niger.
Ecowas officials say their resources will be used to support troops, but they will also welcome any outside help.
