Niger’s military leaders have closed the country’s airspace after defying a deadline by the regional bloc Ecowas to hand back power to a civilian government or face possible armed intervention.
The army says it believes preparations to invade Niger had begun in two African countries but gave no evidence.
Niger’s generals appear to be taking the threat of invasion by West African states seriously.
A spokesman says any violation of the airspace would be met with an "energetic and immediate response.
Ecowas says it hopes to resolve the crisis peacefully but warned that plans for military intervention had been worked out.