An attempted military coup in Benin on Sunday was successfully thwarted, and authorities are now pursuing the soldiers involved.
The situation was declared “totally under control” by President Patrice Talon, even as the search continues for the fugitive plotters, reportedly led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri.
A government source confirmed the release of two senior military officials who had been taken hostage during the initial hours of the mutiny. It remains unclear if other individuals are still being held by the fleeing soldiers.
The attempted takeover began early Sunday when a group of soldiers appeared on state television to announce they had seized power. Gunfire was subsequently reported near the presidential residence in Cotonou, the seat of government.
Foreign Support and Arrests
The swift collapse of the coup was attributed in part to regional assistance. Regional power Nigeria confirmed that its fighter jets had provided aerial support, helping to dislodge the mutineers from the national TV station and a military camp following a request from Benin’s government.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has since deployed troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast to secure key installations, signaling a firm stance against the recent wave of military takeovers in the region.
Benin government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji reported that 14 people were initially arrested in connection with the plot, including a previously discharged soldier suspected of storming the national broadcaster’s offices.
President Vows Justice
In a national address Sunday evening, President Talon, a former businessman known as the “king of cotton,” praised loyalist forces for clearing the “last pockets of resistance.”
”This treachery will not go unpunished,” the 67-year-old leader stated, offering condolences to the victims of the “senseless adventure” and those still held hostage.
Plotters’ Grievances and Regional Context
The rebel soldiers justified their actions by citing several grievances against the Talon administration. Chief among these was the “continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin,” where the army has suffered losses battling jihadist militants spilling over from neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso. They also criticized the government for neglecting the families of fallen soldiers and cited domestic issues, including health care cuts (like the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis), tax rises, and restrictions on political activities.
Benin, a former French colony, has traditionally been viewed as one of West Africa’s more stable democracies. However, the failed plot adds to the deepening instability across the sub-region, which has seen successful coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and, most recently, Guinea-Bissau just last week.
President Talon, a close Western ally, is due to step down next year after completing his second and final term in office. His government has overseen economic development but has faced criticism for suppressing dissenting voices, including the recent disqualification of the main opposition candidate from standing in elections.
