Niger's military rulers announced that they had closed the country's airspace, warning that any attempt to violate it would meet with an "energetic and immediate response".

The announcement came as the deadline from the West African bloc ECOWAS, expired, ordering them to hand back power to the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum expired.

Faced with the threat of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the preparation of neighbouring countries, Niger's airspace is closed from this day, for all aircraft until further notice," the country's new rulers said in a statement.

Access24 reports that ECOWAS last Sunday issued Niger's new military rulers with an ultimatum to stand down within the week or face possible military intervention.

Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 when members of his own guard detained him at the presidency.