Benin’s security forces have successfully quashed an attempted military takeover that briefly threatened to topple President Patrice Talon’s administration on Sunday.
The attempted putsch unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning when a faction of dissident soldiers, styling themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, sought to overthrow the constitutional order. The group’s leader, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, managed to seize control of the state broadcaster temporarily, where he declared the removal of President Talon and announced the dissolution of all government structures.
Residents of Cotonou, the country’s administrative capital, reported hearing gunfire as armed personnel moved through parts of the city. The mutineers also launched an assault on the presidential residence during the pre-dawn hours.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou confirmed that the armed forces had remained loyal to the republic and moved swiftly to neutralise the threat. Security services have detained between 13 and 14 soldiers believed to be involved in the insurrection, though it remains uncertain whether Lt Col Tigri himself is amongst those in custody.
In a televised address following the incident, President Talon spoke publicly for the first time since the attempted overthrow. He offered his sympathies to those affected by what he described as a reckless venture, including individuals still being held by mutineers who had fled the scene.
The Economic Community of West African States has issued a strong denunciation of the coup attempt. The regional body has announced it will deploy military personnel from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Ghana to assist Benin’s forces in maintaining constitutional governance.
President Talon, who assumed office in 2016, is scheduled to conclude his tenure in April following presidential elections. The failed coup represents yet another episode of political instability in a West African region that has experienced numerous military interventions in recent years.
Despite the drama of Sunday’s events, normalcy has largely returned to Cotonou, with the government maintaining control of all key institutions.
