Benin was plunged into political uncertainty on a recent Sunday after a group of soldiers appeared on state television to announce an apparent military coup. Identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), the soldiers declared that President Patrice Talon was removed from office, state institutions dissolved, the constitution suspended, and all land borders and airspace closed. Lieutenant-Colonel Tigri Pascal was named as the leader who would head a military transition council, although his exact whereabouts remained unclear at the time of the announcement. Gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo, near the president’s official residence in Cotonou, prompting the French Embassy to advise its citizens to remain indoors for security.

However, swift reactions from President Patrice Talon’s entourage and the Beninese government quickly refuted the claims, asserting that the president was safe and the attempted takeover was by a “small group” with limited influence. Officials, including Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari and government spokesperson Wilfried Houngbedji, confirmed that the situation was “under control” and “everything is fine.” The presidency issued a statement dismissing the soldiers’ declaration, stating, “This is a small group of individuals who only managed to seize the television station. The regular army is steadily regaining control. Both the city and the entire country remain completely secure.”

Interior Minister Alassane Seidou later appeared on national television to confirm that the coup attempt had been thwarted. He explained that a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions early on Sunday morning, but the Beninese armed forces, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic and successfully foiled the attempt. Security sources indicated that the Republican Guard intervened “within minutes” to neutralise approximately ten soldiers and secure strategic infrastructure, including the national broadcaster. President Talon was confirmed to be “safe and sound” and moved to a secure location as investigations commenced.

Further updates confirmed that Colonel Pascal Tigri, believed to be the leader of the mutineers, was on the run, while some other members of his group had been arrested. Nigeria’s Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, relayed these developments, underscoring the success of security forces in stopping the attempted takeover. The government urged the population to go about their activities as normal, assuring that state institutions remained functional.

The attempted coup adds to a growing list of military takeovers and attempts in West Africa, following incidents in countries like Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. This development comes months after Djimon Tevoedjre, commander of the republican guard and head of Talon’s security, was arrested in September 2024 over an alleged coup plot. President Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman who came to power in 2016, is constitutionally due to end his second term in April 2026. His tenure has been marked by solid economic growth but also accusations of authoritarianism and a surge in jihadist violence, alongside recent political tension over legislative votes to extend presidential terms.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) swiftly condemned the attempted military takeover, describing it as a grave and unacceptable assault on democratic principles. In a statement, the ECOWAS Commission called for the full respect of Benin’s Constitution and commended the efforts of the government and the Republican Army in bringing the situation under control. ECOWAS warned that the plot leaders would be held individually and collectively responsible for any loss of life or property, affirming its support for Benin’s government and people, including the potential deployment of a regional standby force to defend the Constitution and territorial integrity.