Niger’s military rulers announced Sunday that they had closed the country’s airspace,
warning that any attempt to violate it would meet with an “energetic and immediate
response”.
The country’s new rulers announcement came as the deadline from the West African
bloc ECOWAS for them to hand back power to the democratically elected President
Mohamed Bazoum was due to expire.
ECOWAS last Sunday issued Niger’s new military rulers with an ultimatum to stand
down within the week or face possible military intervention.
Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 when members of his own guard detained him at
the presidency.