NIAMEY, Niger – West African leaders have scheduled a summit for Thursday to discuss the Niger junta’s rejection of an ultimatum to reinstate the ousted president, while the United States has sent a top official to Niger’s capital Niamey to push for a return to democracy.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had told leaders of the July 26 coup to stand down by Sunday or face a possible military intervention.
But the junta, under self-declared head of state Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani, former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, instead closed the airspace and pledged to defend the country.
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