Niger's junta has scrapped a military pact with Benin, accusing its neighbour of authorising the deployment of troops on its territory for a possible military intervention by the Ecowas regional bloc. This comes as the French foreign ministry has called for the immediate release of a French official who was arrested in Niger at the weekend.
The move by the military junta in Niamey comes as the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is still trying to negotiate with the coup leaders, but the bloc has said if diplomatic efforts fail it is ready to use force as a last resort to restore constitutional order and reverse the putsch.
