Military intervention in Niger is ‘last resort’, says west African bloc

Defence chiefs demand reinstatement of president after coup, which triggered exodus of foreign nationals

Defence heads from west Africa's regional political and security bloc have said a military intervention in junta-ruled Niger was the last resort", as European countries continued to evacuate foreign nationals after last week's coup against its democratically elected president.

The 15-nation regional bloc Ecowas - the Economic Community of West African States - has threatened to use force to put down the coup in Niger after giving an ultimatum to those behind it to restore Mohamed Bazoum as president and reinstate the constitution and democratic institutions.