Niger’s coup leaders have closed the country’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention from their neighbours.
It comes after the Ecowas group of West African states demanded President Mohamed Bazoum be reinstated by Sunday.
Ecowas had warned that the junta could face military action and will now meet on Thursday to discuss next steps.
Meanwhile Mali and Burkina Faso, both also ruled by juntas, said they would send officials to Niger in solidarity.
Flightradar24 showed a transport plane had flown from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, and landed in Niger hours after airspace was closed.
The growing instability in the region compelled former colonial power France on Monday to warn its citizens against travelling to the Sahel region, and for those still there to be cautious due to anti-France sentiment.
“It is essential to limit travel, to stay away from any gatherings and to keep themselves regularly informed of the situation,” read a statement from the foreign ministry.
The junta in Niger on Sunday said it had information that “a foreign power” was preparing to attack the country, after military chiefs from Ecowas, a bloc of 15 countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Ghana, drew up a detailed plan for use of force.
It had issued a 23:00 GMT Sunday deadline to Niger’s junta leaders to stand down and restore the elected president.
Earlier, Abdel-Fatau Musah, the bloc’s commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, said that while “all the elements” had been worked out about an “eventual intervention”, the body wanted “diplomacy to work”.
Over the weekend Nigeria’s Senate discussed the situation in Niger after President Bola Tinubu wrote to it about the Ecowas resolutions imposing sanctions and the possible use of military force.
Local media report there was strong opposition to military intervention, especially from senators representing states near the long border the two countries share.
President Tinubu has been especially vocal in demanding that the Niger military leave power and has threatened to use force if they do not – but he needs approval from the National Assembly for any foreign military intervention.
Italy and Germany have both called for an extension to the deadline to reinstate President Bazoum so that a diplomatic solution can be found.
