Nigeria, Dec. 16 -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has demanded the release of all political detainees in Guinea-Bissau.

According to a statement issued on Monday, the bloc made the declaration at the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, which brought together presidents and heads of state from the region.

At the summit, ECOWAS called for the release of all detained political actors and for their full participation in Guinea-Bissau's political processes.

The bloc rejected the military junta's 12-month "transition programme" which requires that presidential and legislative elections be held at the end of the one-year transitional period, with the polling date to...