West African leaders are meeting on Niger, but options are few as a military junta defies mediation

West African heads of state are meeting on their next steps after Niger’s military junta defied their deadline to reinstate the deposed president. Nine of the 11 heads of state expected to attend were present at the closed-door summit in Nigeria's capital. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the current chairman of regional bloc known as ECOWAS. He told fellow leaders on Thursday that they must prioritize diplomacy. But Niger’s junta has turned away most efforts at mediation. ECOWAS previously threatened to intervene with military force if Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum wasn't reinstated. Bazoum has been under house arrest with his wife and son since July 26.

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