Following the announcement of a coup by eight soldiers who appeared on state television in Benin, the government responded that the attempt had been thwarted. According to the latest update the regular army forces managed to regain control and the president was safe.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou later announced in a video statement that Benin’s armed forces had foiled the attempted coup and urged citizens to “go about their business as usual.” Reports further indicated that a dozen soldiers had been arrested in connection with the failed takeover.
A group of uniformed soldiers appearing on State TV has announced that it has overthrown the government of Benin in Cotonou. The group, led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, declared that “Benin’s land, sea, and air borders” would be temporarily closed, while urging citizens to continue their daily activities “with discipline.”
Calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, the group named Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri as president of the committee and announced the dissolution of all state institutions, including the removal of President Patrice Talon from office.
Reports from the hours leading up to the coup indicate heavy gunfire near the president’s residence. Adama Gaye, former Director of Communication at ECOWAS, told Al Jazeera that “heavy gunfire was blasted at President Talon’s house,”. The political commentator added that there had been other previous coup attempts involving people close to the president, highlighting the persistent power struggles in Benin.
Talon, in power since 2016, is due to step down next April after the presidential election and had already designated Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his party’s candidate to succeed him. According to Gaye, the coup leaders were motivated by a belief that Talon’s transition plan lacked credibility, despite Benin’s strong economic performance and recent infrastructure expansion. He said the perceived decline in democratic standards helped trigger the coup attempt, linking it to the broader wave of military interventions sweeping West Africa.
Benin, once considered one of the region’s most stable democracies, has faced mounting tensions over contested elections, constitutional changes, and political restrictions in recent years. The coup attempt follows a regional pattern that has recently included military takeovers in Niger, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and, most recently, the 2025 ouster of Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The December 26 coup in Guinea-Bissau followed a similar pattern, with military officers appearing on state television to announce that they had seized power.
West Africa continues to grapple with political instability driven by disputed elections, governance crises, security challenges, and rising youth discontent.
