West African leaders get tough on Niger with threat of military action

News Snapshot:

The west African leaders who gathered for an emergency summit last weekend amid the unfolding coup in Niger weighed their options over how to respond. Condemn the plotters, impose sanctions, recall ambassadors and suspend the country from their Economic Community of West African States? All were on the table. Yet the Ecowas communiqué went much further. If the demand that the coup leaders cede power was “not met within one week we will take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order”, it warned on Sunday. “Such measures may include the use of force.” A community mostly concerned with free movement...