West African leaders gave the military junta in Niger one week to cede power, warning they did not rule out the use of force and imposed immediate financial sanctions.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States demanded the immediate release and reinstatement of Niger’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held by the military since Wednesday.
ECOWAS says it was freezing Niger’s assets in ECOWAS central and commercial banks and imposing a travel ban and asset freeze for the military officials involved in the coup attempt.