Niamey, 10 August 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The West African community of states ECOWAS has instructed its military chiefs to "immediately" put together an intervention force for a possible deployment in Niger, the head of the group said on Thursday.

Following a summit of the group's heads of state in Nigeria's capital Abuja, Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, said the restoration of constitutional order was at stake following the military coup in Niger.

The international community is keeping "all options" open but the priority was to move forward by peaceful means, he added.

Earlier, the president of regional heavyweight Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, again called for a peaceful solution to the conflict with the military junta. At the same time, he said no options would be taken off the table, including the use of force. But this would be "a last resort."

On July 26, Niger's presidential guard under General Abdourahamane Tchiani detained democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum at his residence because, according to observers, the latter wanted to replace Tchiani at the head of the elite unit. He subsequently appointed himself the new ruler.

Tinubu, at the start of the summit, added: "It is our duty to exhaust all avenues to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger."

Tinubu emphasized that a solution should be found through diplomatic, rather than military means.

"In our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights and the well being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach," he said.

ECOWAS had last week slapped sanctions on Niger and threatened the military junta with force, issuing an ultimatum that expired over the weekend.

"Regrettably, the seven-day deadline we set during the first summit did not produce the desired result," Tinubu added.

In the so-called "coup belt" of the Sahel region, Niger had been the exception to the rule, with its democratic government representing one of the last strategic partners of the West in the fight against Islamic terrorists in the region.

The international community has condemned the coup and pushed the coup leaders to hand back power to Bazoum.

UN Secretary General António Guterres has called for his release.

"The secretary general is very concerned over the deplorable living conditions that President Bazoum and his family are reported to be living under as they continue to be arbitrarily detained by members of the Presidential Guard in Niger," a spokesman said in New York late on Wednesday.

There have been reports that Bazoum and his family were being detained at his residence without electricity, water, food or medicine. Guterres also called for the immediate and unconditional release of other detained members of the government.

Meanwhile, Niger's military junta appointed a new Cabinet early on Thursday.

A spokesman for the rulers announced on state television that 21 ministerial posts had been filled by military officers and civilians, with the military taking over the realm of defence and security.

General Salifou Mody was named defence minister. Mody, who used to be the military attaché at Berlin's Nigerien embassy, is considered next in line to de facto leader Tchiani.

Economist Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine was named prime minister.

Photo: MIA Archive