NIGER’S junta gained the upper hand as well as civilian support over Ecowas after West Africa’s military bloc failed to act a week on from its ultimatum, analysts said today.

Ecowas had given the soldiers that overthrew Niger’s pro-Western President Mohamed Bazoum until Sunday, August 6, to release and reinstate him on pain of military action.

On Thursday, the bloc ordered the deployment of a “standby” force to restore constitutional rule in Niger, with Nigeria, Benin, Senegal and Ivory Coast saying they would contribute troops.

But while it decides on a plan, the junta is gaining power, some observers have said.

Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation think tank, said: “The putschists are holding all the cards and have cemented their rule.”

He said that Ecowas is unlikely to intervene and would instead likely press the junta to agree to a short transition period.

Europe and the United States will have little choice but to recognise the junta in order to continue the security co-operation in the region, Mr Laessing said.

Large pro-junta demonstrations have taken place in Niger’s capital Niamey, demanding the withdrawal of French and US troops stationed in their country and an end to French economic domination.

Today people marched, cycled and drove through downtown Niamey, chanting “down with France” and expressing anger at Ecowas.

The country of some 25 million people is one of the poorest in the world and the harsh travel and economic sanctions imposed by the bloc are taking a toll.

Niger gets up to 90 per cent of its power from neighbouring Nigeria, which has cut off some of its supply.