Zambian leader Edgar Lungu says he would consult widely before pulling his country out from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a report said on Wednesday.

According to Lusaka Times, Lungu said he was going to consult with Zambians before considering pulling out of the ICC.

He said that his country needed to critically study the matter before making any decision.

Reports recently indicated that African leaders adopted a strategy calling for a collective withdrawal from the ICC.

The non-binding decision came behind closed doors near the end of an African Union summit held in Ethiopia last month.

A number of African countries have in recent years threatened to pull out of the ICC, with Namibia reportedly also passing a referendum to pull out of the court in 2015.

South Africa and Burundi, had so far made official decisions to leave the ICC.