Political Uncertainty in Benin After Foiled Coup Attempt and Temporary Seizure of State Television

A state of uncertainty has gripped Benin’s political scene after the country’s armed forces foiled an attempted coup carried out by a group of soldiers who briefly took control of the national television station and announced the removal of the president.

Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, said on Sunday that the armed forces had successfully thwarted the coup attempt, confirming that the situation was brought back under control by loyal military units.

These statements were consistent with comments made by the country’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, who told Reuters that the situation was under control. He said the incident involved only a small group of soldiers, while the majority of the army and the national guard remained loyal to the state. He added that the plotters only managed to seize the state television building and that the broadcast signal was cut for a few minutes.

Earlier on Sunday, a group of soldiers appeared on state television announcing the dissolution of the government, in what was described as the latest development in a series of similar coups and attempted takeovers in West Africa.

The soldiers, identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Restoration,” said they had met early on Sunday and decided to remove President Patrice Talon from office and to abolish all state institutions. They also announced the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as head of the military committee.

In response, a military source close to the president said the group was small and had only taken control of the television station, stressing that the regular army had regained control and that the economic capital, Cotonou, and the rest of the country were safe. The source added that the group failed to seize the president’s residence or the presidential palace, and that a “clean-up operation” to remove the mutineers was ongoing.

The French Embassy in Benin reported via X that gunshots had been heard at the Guézo camp, near the presidential palace in Cotonou, advising French nationals to remain indoors as a precaution.

Benin’s political history has witnessed several coups and attempted coups over the decades, making the latest developments a subject of broad regional and international attention.

President Patrice Talon has been in power since 2016 and is expected to complete his second term next year, which is the maximum allowed under the constitution. The country’s largest opposition party was excluded from the most recent presidential election, which was limited to the ruling party and an opposition candidate described as “moderate.”

Despite international praise for the economic development achieved during his tenure, President Talon has faced regular criticism from opposition figures, who accuse him of adopting an increasingly authoritarian approach in a country once known for its democratic dynamism.

This incident comes only days after a reported coup in Guinea-Bissau, where an army officer announced the removal of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the suspension of state institutions, highlighting growing political instability across West Africa.