Benin says attempted coup 'foiled' hours after soldiers briefly seize state TV

The government of Benin announced on Sunday that a coup attempt earlier in the day had been “foiled”, after soldiers briefly took over state television and declared the ousting of President Patrice Talon.

Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, in a video posted on Facebook, said a “small group of soldiers” had launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising state institutions. “The Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic,” he said.

The statement came hours after a group of uniformed soldiers appeared on state broadcaster ORTB claiming to dissolve the government.

Identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, they announced the removal of Talon and all state institutions, and named Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as the head of a military committee that would assume leadership.

Benin’s political history has been punctuated by coups since its independence from France in 1960, though the country has largely enjoyed stability since the democratic transition of 1991, following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist leader Mathieu Kérékou.

Sunday’s brief takeover was the most serious challenge to civilian authority in years.

Gunshots were reported near the presidential residence earlier in the morning, and no official information has been released about President Talon’s location or safety. However, authorities said the disrupted signals to state television and public radio had been restored as security forces regained control.

The regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), strongly condemned the short-lived coup. In a statement, it called the mutiny “an unconstitutional move that represents a subversion of the will of the people of Benin,” adding that it would support the government in defending the constitution and the country’s territorial integrity.

Talon has been in power since 2016 and is scheduled to step down next April after presidential elections.

His party’s candidate, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is widely seen as the favourite to succeed him. Opposition contender Renaud Agbodjo was barred by the electoral commission for failing to meet sponsorship requirements.

Political tensions have simmered in recent months. In January, two associates of Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison over an alleged 2024 coup plot. Last month, lawmakers extended the presidential term from five to seven years while retaining the two-term limit, a move that drew criticism from parts of the opposition.

The incident adds to a wave of military takeovers in West Africa, including the coup in Guinea-Bissau last month that deposed President Umaro Embalo following a disputed election. Observers warn that the rapid succession of attempted and successful coups could further destabilise an already fragile region.

With inputs from PTI