West Africa's regional bloc has said a military intervention in junta-ruled Niger is "the last resort" as Nigeria cut electricity supplies to intensify pressure on the country's coup leaders.
Military chiefs from the grouping were meeting to frame a response and a delegation was in Niger for negotiations, a week after a coup shook the fragile nation and prompted ex-colonial power France to evacuate its citizens.
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders on Sunday imposed trade and financial sanctions and gave the coup leaders a week to reinstate Niger's democratically-elected president or face the potential use of force.
"(The) military option is the very last option on the table, the last resort, but we have to prepare for the eventuality," said Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security.
An ECOWAS team headed by former Nigerian leader Abdulsalami Abubakar was in Niger to "negotiate", added Mr Musah, speaking at the start of a three-day meeting of the grouping's military chiefs in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
The current chair of ECOWAS is Nigeria, West Africa's military and economic superpower.
It has vowed to take a firm line against coups that have proliferated across the region since 2020, most of them under the pressure of a bloody jihadist insurgency.
A source in Niger's power company said Nigeria had cut off its electricity supply to its neighbour as a result of the sanctions.
"Since yesterday, Nigeria has disconnected the high-voltage line transporting electricity to Niger," said the source at Nigelec, the country's monopoly supplier.
Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, depends on Nigeria for 70% of its power, buying it from the Nigerian company Mainstream, according to Nigelec.
Junta-ruled Mali and Burkina Faso have warned that any military intervention in their neighbour would be tantamount to a "declaration of war" against them.
General Salifou Mody, one of the Niger coup leaders, today arrived with a delegation in Mali's capital Bamako, said a senior Nigerien official and a Malian security official. They did not give further details.
In Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry called for "urgent national dialogue" in Niger and warned that threats of intervention "will not help ease tensions or calm the domestic situation".
Europeans leave
Mohamed Bazoum, aged 63, was feted in 2021 after winning elections that ushered in Niger's first-ever peaceful transition of power.
He took the helm of one of the world's poorest and most unstable countries, burdened by four previous coups since independence from France in 1960.
But after surviving two attempted putsches, Mr Bazoum was overthrown on 26 July, when members of his own guard detained him at the presidency.
Their commander, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has declared himself leader, but his claim has been condemned internationally.
France scheduled more evacuation flights from the capital Niamey following hostile demonstrations at the weekend.
By early this morning, more than 500 people had landed in Paris aboard two flights, mostly French citizens but also Portuguese, Belgians, Nigerians, Ethiopians and Lebanese evacuees.
Two final flights have been organised for later today, according to the French army.
Italy said it had evacuated 99 Italians and other nationals living in Niger, who arrived in Rome early Wednesday and Germany has urged its citizens to leave.
The United States is set to evacuate some staff and families from its embassy in Niger after military officers seized power there, a US official said, even as the mission will remain open and senior leadership will continue working from there.
The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said a final decision was still pending but it appeared likely.
"This is a prudent move in case the security situation deteriorates, and the core embassy staff will remain," the official said.
The official added that the US personnel would be moved out of Niger by aircraft chartered by the State Department and military aircraft would not be used.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller did not confirm that staff would be evacuated, but said Washington was monitoring events on the ground and would prioritize the safety of US citizens and government personnel.
