Foiled Coup: Situation Under Control, Benin President Says

President Patrice Talon of Benin on Sunday assured citizens that the country’s security situation is “completely under control” following the foiling of an attempted military coup earlier in the day.

A group of soldiers had earlier appeared on state television to announce that they had removed Talon from office, triggering brief tensions in the country’s capital, Cotonou.

However, loyalist forces swiftly countered the move, leading to the arrest of about a dozen soldiers, including key figures behind the plot, according to Beninese military and security sources.

In a national broadcast on Benin TV, Talon urged calm.

“I would like to assure you that the situation is completely under control and therefore invite you to calmly go about your activities starting this very evening,” he said.

Talon, who has been in power since 2016, is expected to hand over leadership next year after completing two terms in office. His tenure has been marked by economic growth alongside rising jihadist attacks in northern parts of the country.

Earlier on Sunday, soldiers identifying themselves as members of the so-called “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) claimed on state television that they had decided to remove Talon from office.

Shortly after the broadcast, a source close to the presidency told AFP that the president was safe and dismissed the coup plotters as a “small group” that only managed to seize the television station.

“The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the source said, adding that the operation to restore full order was progressing.

Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, confirmed that the armed forces had successfully contained the situation and neutralised the coup attempt.

A source in the Nigerian presidency also disclosed that Nigerian air force jets carried out strikes on undisclosed targets as part of coordinated countercoup operations.

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced the deployment of troops from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to support Benin’s government and protect constitutional order.

AFP correspondents earlier reported hearing gunshots in parts of Cotonou, while soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and the state broadcasting station.

Despite the security presence, daily life gradually returned to normal in many neighbourhoods.

“The coup was foiled, thank God. But we must also think about how to prevent this from happening again,” said a street vendor, Adam Aminou.

Retired teacher Jennifer Adokpeto described the incident as frightening. “We really believed it was a real coup because the announcement kept playing on television,” she said.

A military source confirmed that the plotters failed to seize the president’s residence or the main presidential offices. Access to those areas remained restricted, along with several parts of the city, including the Sofitel hotel and districts hosting international organisations.

No military presence was reported at the airport, and several foreign embassies advised their citizens to remain indoors.

The African Union condemned the attempted coup and called on the soldiers to return to their barracks.

The eight soldiers who appeared on television carried assault rifles and wore different coloured berets. They declared Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as the head of their “refoundation” committee.

They justified their action by citing worsening insecurity in northern Benin, alleged neglect of fallen soldiers and their families, and what they described as unfair promotions within the military.