President Patrice Talon of Benin has assured the nation that the “situation is completely under control” after a swift counter-operation thwarted a coup attempt in the capital. The effort to unseat the government was defeated by forces loyal to the regime, who received crucial support, including air power and troop deployments, from neighboring Nigeria.
On Sunday morning, a faction of soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) appeared on state television to announce that they had successfully removed President Talon from office. This declaration immediately triggered a robust response from the loyalist Beninese army.
Beninese military and security sources confirmed that about a dozen soldiers, including those responsible for the coup announcement, have since been arrested.
A Swift Regional Response
Shortly after the CMR’s television broadcast, a source close to President Talon quickly condemned the plotters as “a small group of people who only control the television,” while confirming that the President was safe. “The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure,” the source added. “It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal.”
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou then appeared on state television, confirming that the “Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt.”
Crucially, the operation benefited from immediate regional support. A source in the Nigerian Presidency told AFP that Nigerian fighter jets struck undisclosed targets as Beninese forces conducted countercoup operations. The deployment came at the direct request of Benin’s foreign ministry. A statement from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s office later confirmed that Nigerian troops had already entered Benin.
The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, also announced that troops from a coalition including Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone were being deployed to Benin to help the government “preserve constitutional order.”
Talon Assures the Nation
Late Sunday, President Talon addressed the nation via the state broadcaster, Benin TV, to allay fears. “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.
AFP correspondents reported hearing sporadic gunfire in the economic capital, Cotonou, earlier on Sunday, with soldiers blocking access to the presidential offices and the state television building. However, elsewhere, residents quickly returned to their business.
“The coup was foiled, thank God. But we have to think about what to do so this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” street vendor Adam Aminou told AFP. Retired teacher Jennifer Adokpeto admitted: “We really thought, seeing the statement being repeated on a loop on TV, that it was really a coup d’etat and that our country was going to go the way of some of our neighbours.”
The military source confirmed that the coup plotters failed to take either the presidential offices or Talon’s residence.
Motivation for the Coup
The eight rebel soldiers who appeared on television, carrying assault rifles and wearing different colored berets, proclaimed Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as the “president” of their “refoundation” committee.
They justified their action by citing the “continuous deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin,” alongside internal military grievances, including the “neglect of soldiers killed in action and their families left to fend for themselves” and “unjust promotions at the expense of the most deserving.”
The attempted coup drew immediate and forceful condemnation from international bodies, reflecting the region’s increasing instability. The African Union “unequivocally condemn[ed]” the action, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, noting such attempts could “further threaten the stability of the region.” Former colonial power France and the organization of French-speaking countries (OIF) also voiced their strong condemnation.
Benin’s history since independence in 1960 has been marked by several coups. President Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman often dubbed the “cotton king of Cotonou,” came to power in 2016. While praised for fostering solid economic growth, he has regularly faced accusations of authoritarianism. He is scheduled to conclude his second and final term, the maximum allowed by the constitution, in April 2026.
