Around a dozen soldiers have been arrested in Benin following Sunday’s attempted coup, including the alleged masterminds of the failed takeover, military and security sources told AFP.
One security source reported that 13 people had been detained, while another confirmed that all those arrested, except one former officer are serving members of the armed forces.
The arrests came hours after a group of military officers appeared on Benin’s national television, announcing that they had removed President Patrice Talon from power and dissolved all state institutions. The officers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, claimed they had taken control of the country.
But the presidency swiftly dismissed the declaration, telling AFP that President Talon was safe and that loyal forces were restoring order.
The government described the mutiny as the work of a “small group” with minimal capacity to destabilise the country.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the presidency said.
Benin has experienced several coups and attempted coups since independence, though the West African nation had enjoyed relative political stability in recent decades.
AFP
