Benin’s government announced Sunday that loyal armed forces had successfully foiled an attempted coup d’état hours after a small group of soldiers seized control of state television and declared the overthrow of President Patrice Talon.
The mutiny, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, briefly disrupted the capital Cotonou when at least eight armed soldiers appeared on national television to announce the formation of a “Military Committee for Refoundation” that dissolved all state institutions, suspended the constitution, closed borders, and suspended political parties.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou confirmed that the armed forces maintained control and thwarted the mutiny, describing it as the action of “a small group of soldiers” aimed at destabilizing the country.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari told Reuters the plotters only managed to control state television for several minutes before the signal was cut and later restored.
President Talon’s office stated that the president was safe, that a large part of the army remained loyalist, and that regular forces were gradually regaining full control.
Gunfire was reported near the presidential residence at Camp Guezo and in several Cotonou neighborhoods Sunday morning, but calm returned by early afternoon with police deployed at major intersections.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union swiftly condemned the attempted coup.
African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Yousouf reaffirmed the bloc’s support for President Talon and its readiness to assist in restoring full constitutional order.
The incident marks the latest challenge to democratic governance in West Africa, a region that has seen multiple successful military takeovers in recent years.
President Talon, in power since 2016, is scheduled to step down in April 2026.