The West African nations have granted approval for swift armed intervention in Niger, as relayed by the Ivory Coast president, following a meeting convened to address the recent coup.

During the gathering, leaders of the Ecowas regional bloc concurred on deploying a "standby" military force, though specifics concerning the force's size remain undisclosed. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria expressed that employing force would only be considered as a last option.

On July 26, a military junta took control in Niger. Following the Ecowas session, Ivory Coast's Alassane Ouattara emphasized that Ecowas has intervened in the past to reinstate constitutional order in African nations, and stressed that a similar stance must be taken in Niger.

Ivory Coast pledged a battalion of 850 to 1,100 soldiers, with Nigeria and Benin also contributing troops, according to Mr. Ouattara. Omar Touray, the president of the Ecowas group, stated that the bloc had decided to deploy the Ecowas standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger, without providing further details about the composition or actions of the force.

Abdel Musah, the bloc's security commissioner, noted that Ecowas would not permit the junta to remain in power during a transitional period, unlike the situations in Burkina Faso and Mali.

However, direct negotiations with the junta have proven challenging, as they are not inclined to engage directly with Ecowas.

Concerns about the well-being and safety of the deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest for over two weeks, have been raised by the US and the UN.

Ahead of Thursday's meeting, Muslim clerics from northern Nigeria, which shares a long border with Niger, had urged Nigerian President Tinubu against using force to oust the coup leaders.

But speaking after the meeting, he said: "No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.

"If we don't do it, no one else will do it for us."

The coup leaders have warned they will defend themselves against any intervention.

Ecowas had issued a deadline of last Sunday to the Niger junta to restore the democratically-elected government, but it was ignored.

Instead, military leaders named a new ruling cabinet.

Both the US and France have military bases in Niger, which have been used as part of efforts to tackle jihadist groups in the wider Sahel region.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the BBC earlier this week that he believes Russia's Wagner mercenary group is "taking advantage" of the instability in Niger.

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