The Peace and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced Saturday adjourning two meetings, slated for today, to discuss the latest developments in Niger.

In a statement, the council said a meeting, scheduled today, has been postponed in order to hold further consultations, expressing growing concerns about the conditions of "detention" of the President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum and his family.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS said in a statement that the commanders of its armies would meet next week to plan for a possible military "intervention", adding that the adjournment of the second meeting happened due to some technical reasons.

For his part, Hasoumi Massoudou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bazoum's government, was quoted as saying that "the military option" studied by ECOWAS is not a "war" against Niger and its people, but rather an operation against the "hostage-takers".

He called on the leaders of the military council to end the "coup" to avoid those "sanctions".

On Friday, the African Union declared its support for the decisions of ECOWAS on Niger and called on the international community to protect Bazoum's life.

Last Thursday, the Summit of ECOWAS in Abuja stressed its adherence by the peaceful solution to the crisis in Niger, considering all options including military.

Source: Kuwait News Agency