Niger Coup Deadline Looms as West Africa and Nigeria Weigh Military Intervention

West African defense chiefs have developed a plan for potential military intervention in Niger if the coup is not overturned by the weekend, according to a leader from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The regional bloc has given the coup leaders until Sunday to step down and release the elected President. Niger's strategic significance, including its uranium and oil resources and its role in the fight against Islamist rebels, has drawn the attention of global powers. The intervention plan includes the deployment of forces, with the decision made by heads of states and kept secret from the coup plotters. ECOWAS has already imposed sanctions on Niger, and diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve the crisis peacefully.