Accra: West African military chiefs gathered in Ghana on Thursday to coordinate a possible armed intervention to reverse the coup in Nijçer.


Concerned by the escalating military takeover of the region, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last week decided to keep a force of security forces on standby to "restore constitutional order" in Niger.

In Thursday's meeting, most of the member countries agreed in favor of the military force, ECOWAS said. After security guards detained President Mohamed Bajoum on July 26, ECOWAS has called on rebel leaders to reinstate him.

Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff General Christopher Guabin Musa said at the group's meeting in Accra, "We are in favor of democracy and will promote democratic values." Ecowas's troops have intervened in other regional crises since the 1990s, including civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.