Benin’s government says loyalist forces retook control after a brief coup attempt in which soldiers claimed to have overthrown President Patrice Talon. The presidency confirmed Talon is safe and security restored.
Benin was thrown into uncertainty on Sunday after a group of soldiers appeared on state television and announced that they had removed President Patrice Talon from power. The soldiers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, declared that they had dissolved the government, closed all borders, and suspended political parties.
The televised statement was delivered by soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who they said would now head the military committee. They claimed to have taken control in what they described as a move to “refound” the state.
But Talon’s office quickly pushed back. The presidency told reporters that the president is safe and that loyal army units are regaining control of the situation. Officials said the soldiers behind the broadcast only managed to seize the state TV station before the signal was cut.
Benin’s foreign minister also said most of the army and the national guard remain loyal to the president and are working to secure key areas in the capital, Cotonou. Reports of gunfire near Camp Guezo, close to the president’s official residence, added to public concern, but there have been no confirmed casualties.
The attempted takeover comes as Benin approaches its next presidential election, scheduled for April. Talon, who has led the country since 2016, was expected to step down, with former finance minister Romuald Wadagni seen as the leading candidate to succeed him. Opposition politics has been tense in recent years, with several opposition figures jailed or barred from running.
The coup attempt follows a string of recent military takeovers in the region, including in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in the last two months. Regional analysts have warned that political tensions, limited political freedoms, and distrust of leadership are creating fertile ground for instability in West Africa.
For now, Benin’s government says calm is returning. But with borders closed, soldiers on television claiming power, and loyalist forces trying to secure the capital, many in the country remain on edge as the situation continues to unfold.
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