West African regional military chiefs have set in motion plans to use force to oust Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo if negotiations fail, a Nigerian defence spokesman said yesterday.

"The committee of chiefs of defence staff met on Tuesday and Wednesday to put machinery in motion that if all political persuasions fail... ECOWAS will forcefully take over power from Laurent Gbagbo and hand over to Alassane Ouattara," Colonel Mohamed Yerimah told AFP

Meanwhile, France yesterday advised its citizens in Ivory Coast, "in particular families with children," to temporarily leave the West African state because of the

political crisis there.

"Although foreign nationals are not at present threatened, the French authorities renew their advice... to all French who can, in particular families with children, to temporarily leave Ivory Coast," the foreign ministry said.

Around 14,000 French citizens live in the former French colony where Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to hand over the presidency to his rival Alassane Ouattara, who is internationally recognised as winner of presidential elections.

France has already urged its citizens to leave, but yesterday renewed the advice as UN peacekeepers stared down threats to storm a hotel where they were protecting Ouattara.