West Africa’s regional bloc, suspended Guinea-Bissau’s membership hours after an army general was sworn in as the country’s president.

The decision was reached at a virtual session of ECOWAS’ Mediation and Security Council (MSC) chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio on Thursday night.

The meeting included leaders from Cabo Verde, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Benin among others.

It condemned the army takeover as an ‘illegal abortion of the democratic process’ seeking to subvert popular will.

The coup happened as Guinea-Bissau counted votes after a high-stakes presidential election.

The African Union has condemned the coup and was expected to suspend the country soon.

West Africa has been rattled by army officers seizing power, with at least six coups since 2020.