(MENAFN) The leaders of the joint African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) election monitoring teams, along with the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), voiced “deep concern” on Wednesday following a military takeover in Guinea-Bissau after a presidential election.

Earlier that day, the military removed the country’s president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, as citizens awaited the results of the presidential and legislative elections conducted on Sunday.

“We express deep concern with the announcement of a coup d’etat by the armed forces while the nation was waiting for the announcement of the results. It is regrettable that this announcement came at the time when the missions had just concluded meeting with the two leading presidential candidates, who assured us of their willingness to accept the will of the people,” the observer teams stated in a joint declaration.

A faction of military officers calling themselves the "High Military Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order" declared that they had "assumed full powers of the state" during a broadcast on state television.

The military immediately suspended all media operations, interrupted the ongoing electoral process, closed all national borders, and imposed a nine-hour nightly curfew starting at 9 pm local time (2100 GMT).

Heads of the election observer missions called on the African Union and ECOWAS to implement the required measures to reinstate constitutional governance.

“We deplore the blatant attempt to disrupt the democratic process and the gains that have been achieved that far,” the statement emphasized.

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