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A faction of Benin’s military on Sunday declared that it had removed President Patrice Talon from office, triggering uncertainty in the normally stable West African nation.
Appearing on state television, soldiers identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) announced that they had met and resolved to depose the president, whose second term is due to end in April after a decade in power.
The group was led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, who reportedly led troops to seize the national broadcaster on Sunday morning.
The whereabouts of President Talon were initially unclear, amid reports of gunfire near the presidential residence.
Presidency: “Small Group” Behind Attempt
Shortly after the televised announcement, the presidency told AFP that President Talon is “safe” and that loyal forces were moving to restore order.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television,” the president’s office said.
“The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.”
Benin’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, confirmed to Reuters that national guard units had retaken key installations.
“There is an attempt, but the situation is under control,” he said. “A large part of the army is still loyalist and we are taking over the situation.”
Regional Context
The attempted coup adds to the series of military takeovers that have shaken West and Central Africa in recent years. Just last month, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau overthrew President Umaro Embaló as the nation awaited tense election results.
Benin, often seen as one of the region’s more stable democracies, has not experienced a successful military coup since the 1970s.
