Nigeria welcomes Algerian mediation in Niger

Nigeria's foreign minister on Thursday welcomed an Algerian offer to mediate talks with the military regime in Niger, which came to power in a coup in July.

Nigeria holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, a union of 15 West African countries which threatened armed intervention after rebel officers toppled Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum on 26 July.

Nigerian foreign minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar stressed diplomacy was still the favoured route, but kept the option for armed intervention open.

In an interview with France 24, he said ECOWAS welcomed all parties "seeking for a peaceful resolution to this imbroglio [including] Algeria."

But the minister said military intervention was "not off the table."

"It's still under consideration, it's not the only option," he said, adding that it would not "immediately translate to war as it's been misconstrued."

Algeria, which shares a border with Niger, has said it opposes any armed intervention with its neighbour, and has proposed a diplomatic solution.

Niamey said on Monday that it had accepted Algeria's mediation offer, the terms of which have not been made public.

"The way forward is a peaceful resolution through ECOWAS," Tuggar said.

He also called for the release of Bazoum, who has been held at his residence since the coup.

ECOWAS has declined to comment on whether it would accept a transitional period during which the military would remain in power before handing over to civilian rule.