A foreign power is preparing to attack. It comes after the expiry of a sunday deadline from west African Regional bloc ecowas, which demanded the coup be reversed. The group now plans to hold an Emergency Summit on thursday. Meanwhile, the United States is suspending more than 100 million in aid to niger. But officials insist theres still time to solve the crisis. The window of opportunity is definitely still open. We believe that they should step aside and allow president Mohamed Bazoum to resume his duties, today, tomorrow, anytime in the nearfuture. They dont want to put a time when that window be close, would you say that using diplomacy to achieve this objective is our top priority with respect to niger. Our correspondent chris ewokor following the story from neighbouring nigeria. It is one day after the expiration of the ultimatum given to niger coup leaders by ecowas to reinstate president Mohamed Bazoum. The leaders are due to meet on thursday this week to deliberate on the pro
Nigeria. chris ewokor, bbc news, sokoto, at the border with niger. i spoke to a former state department official earlier to get insights into the crisis in niger. joining me now is bisa williams, former us ambassador to niger. you so much for taking the time to be with us today. we are now learning more about the acting deputy secretary of state s unsuccessful secretary of state s u nsuccessful attem pts secretary of state s unsuccessful attempts to u nsuccessful attem pts to negotiate some unsuccessful attempts to negotiate some kind of settlement to see a return to power of president mohamed bazoum. why do you think she wasn t able to make any progress there?- wasn t able to make any progress there? i m not sure i would characterise progress there? i m not sure i would characterise that - progress there? i m not sure i would characterise that is - would characterise that is unsuccessful completely. my understanding was that the acting deputy secretary left the door open for continu