Benin’s government announced on Sunday that it had thwarted an attempted coup after a group of soldiers declared on state television that they had removed President Patrice Talon from power.
West Africa has seen several coups in recent years, including in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea, and most recently Guinea-Bissau.
Talon, 67, a former businessman nicknamed the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is set to leave office in April 2026 after a decade marked by strong economic growth but rising jihadist violence.
Early on Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) announced on television that Talon had been removed and proclaimed a lieutenant colonel as head of the committee. They cited the “deteriorating security situation in northern Benin,” the “neglect of soldiers killed in action,” and “unjust promotions” as reasons for the attempted takeover.
A source close to Talon quickly told AFP that the president was safe, describing the coup plotters as “a small group of people who only control the television.” They confirmed that the regular army was regaining control and that “the city and the country are completely secure.”
AFP correspondents in Cotonou reported gunfire near presidential offices and blockades by soldiers, though most of the city continued normal activity. Key areas, including Sofitel hotel and districts housing international institutions, were temporarily blocked, while the airport remained unaffected.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou called the announcement “a mutiny” aimed at “destabilising the country and its institutions” and praised the Beninese Armed Forces for maintaining control and foiling the attempt.
ECOWAS condemned the actions as “unconstitutional” and a “subversion of the will of the Beninese people.”
Since independence from France in 1960, Benin has experienced several coups and attempted coups. Talon, elected in 2016, is completing his second and final term under the constitution. The upcoming elections will see the ruling party face a “moderate” opposition, as the main opposition party has been excluded from the race.
While Talon is credited with significant economic development, critics regularly accuse him of authoritarian practices.
AFP
