Benin’s government says it has foiled an attempted military coup after loyalist forces regained control of key state institutions early Sunday, following a dramatic pre-dawn broadcast by rebel soldiers claiming to have seized power.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced on national television that “a small group of soldiers” had launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state, but stressed that the armed forces remained loyal to the republic.
“The government urges the population to resume their normal activities,” he said, adding that the situation was now under control.
Soldiers Briefly Seize State TV
The attempted takeover began when a group of soldiers appeared on state broadcaster BTV, declaring they had suspended the constitution and ousted President Patrice Talon. Witnesses reported gunfire near the presidential residence in Cotonou and said some state media journalists were held hostage for several hours.
A presidential adviser later confirmed that President Talon was safe and had not sought refuge at foreign embassies, countering swirling rumours that he was sheltering at the French mission.
Helicopters were seen circling the commercial capital as troops secured major roads. Foreign embassies, including those of France, Russia, and the United States, urged citizens to shelter in place or avoid central Cotonou.
Arrests and Rebel Motives
Government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji told Reuters that 14 suspects had been arrested, including 12 who allegedly stormed the national TV headquarters. A local journalist said one of the rebels was a previously dismissed soldier.
The mutineers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, accused the government of mismanaging security and neglecting soldiers fighting jihadist insurgencies near Benin’s northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso. They also criticised rising taxes, curbs on political activity, and cuts to public health services, including state-funded dialysis.
Benin has suffered increasing spillover from Sahel-based militant groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda, losing soldiers in cross-border attacks in recent years.
Regional Concerns Grow
The failed coup comes at a time of heightened instability in West Africa, which has seen a wave of military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger—and most recently Guinea-Bissau. Analysts warn that Sunday’s events may add to fears of a region-wide democratic backslide.
International condemnation was swift. Ecowas and the African Union both denounced the attempted coup.
AU Commission chair Mahmoud Ali Yousouf reiterated the organisation’s “zero tolerance” policy toward unconstitutional changes of government and urged all actors to respect Benin’s constitution.
He warned that repeated coup attempts erode public trust and threaten continental security.
Nigeria, Benin’s powerful neighbour, called the events “a direct assault on democracy” and praised Beninese security forces for defending constitutional order.
A Test for Talon Ahead of Elections
President Talon, 67, a former business magnate nicknamed the “king of cotton,” is due to leave office next year after serving two terms. He has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his preferred successor in the April 2026 elections.
Though long considered one of West Africa’s more stable democracies, Benin has faced rising political tension.
Critics accuse Talon of suppressing dissent, citing opposition disqualifications from recent elections and newly passed constitutional amendments that extend term lengths for elected officials—though the presidential two-term limit remains intact.
