Niger Shuts Air Space, Places Troops On Standby

Niger’s coup leaders have closed the country’s airspace until further notice.

This is as they rejected an ultimatum from West African states to reinstate deposed President Mohamed Bazoum or risk military intervention.

At the expiration of ther deadline yesterday, the putschists rallied unprecedented support from the civil population who joined them in keeping vigil on the streets of Niamey and other major cities like Maradi on Saturday through Sunday.

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Aljazeera news reported last night that an estimated 30,000 coup supporters gathered at a stadium in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to cheer on the generals who seized power.

It quoted Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for the now-ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), as citing the threat of military intervention from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) being the reason for the airspace closure.

In a statement read out on national television, Abdramane said there had been a pre-deployment of forces in two Central African countries in preparation for intervention, but did not give details.