France says it will fully support ongoing efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure coup leaders in Niger Republic relinquish power to the deposed government in the country.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who met with Niger Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and the Niger ambassador in Paris on Saturday, has said.

Earlier, Colonna said the junta in Niamey had until Sunday to hand back power, otherwise, a threat by member countries of ECOWAS to stage a military intervention had to be taken “very seriously”.

“The threat is credible,” she said on French public radio.

France did not specify whether its backing would entail military support for an ECOWAS intervention in Niger.