Benin President Safe as Army Moves to Quell Coup Attempts

Benin President Safe as Army Moves to Quell Coup Attempt

The presidency of Benin Republic has confirmed that President Patrice Talon is safe following an early Sunday coup attempt by a faction of soldiers. The regular army is reportedly regaining control of the situation.

Gunfire was reportedly heard near the presidential residence as armoured vehicles patrolled the palace grounds. The group behind the attempt, calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, claimed that President Talon and all political officeholders had been removed and that state institutions dissolved.

The presidency dismissed the takeover as the action of a “small group controlling only the television station,” adding that the city and country are “completely secure.”

President Talon, in office since 2016, had pledged to step down in April 2026 following the next presidential election. In a related security development, Djimon Tevoedjre, commander of the Republican Guard, was arrested in September 2024 following an earlier coup attempt.

West Africa has experienced a surge in military takeovers in recent years, with countries including Mali (2020), Guinea (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023) under military rule. Last month, officers in Guinea-Bissau seized power amid disputed election results.