ACCRA: West Africa’s main regional bloc ECOWAS has agreed a “D-day” for a possible military intervention to restore democracy in Niger if diplomatic efforts fail, a senior official said on Friday, without disclosing when that is.

The official made the comments at the end of a two-day meeting of West African army chiefs in Ghana’s capital Accra, where they have been hashing out the logistics and strategy for a possible use of force in Niger that ECOWAS has said would be a last resort.

“We are ready to go anytime the order is given,” ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah said during the closing ceremony. “The D-Day is also decided.” “We’ve already agreed and fine-tuned what will be required for the intervention,” he said, emphasising that it was still seeking to engage with the junta peacefully.

“As we speak we are still readying (a) mediation mission into the country, so we have not shut any door.”

Military officers deposed Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS and others to reinstate him, prompting the bloc to order a standby force to be assembled.

Most of its 15 member states are prepared to contribute to the joint force excepting those also under military rule — Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea — and tiny Cape Verde, an ECOWAS official said on Thursday.

Defence chiefs have declined to say how many troops will be deployed or other strategic details.

‘Grave consequences’

Bazoum, whose 2021 election was a landmark in Niger’s troubled history, has been held with his family at the president’s official residence since the coup, with growing international concern over his conditions in detention.

ECOWAS chair and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu threatened Niamey with “grave consequences” if the new regime allows Bazoum’s health to worsen under house arrest, an EU official said on Friday.

During a call to EU chief Charles Michel, Tinabu noted: “President Bazoum’s detention conditions are deteriorating.” “Any further deterioration to his well-being status will have grave consequences.” Michel had renewed the European Union’s “full support and backing of ECOWAS’ decisions, as well as firm condemnation of the unacceptable coup de force in Niger”.

Details of the Niger operation have not been released and analysts say any intervention would be politically and militarily risky, especially for regional player Nigeria.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023