Photo: Benin President, Patrice Talon
Around a dozen soldiers have been arrested in Benin following Sunday’s failed attempt to overthrow President Patrice Talon, military and security sources told AFP. One source said 13 people had been detained, all of them active-duty personnel except one former soldier believed to be among the alleged ringleaders.
The attempted coup began early Sunday when soldiers identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) appeared on state television to announce that they had removed President Talon from power. The group accused the government of mishandling security in northern Benin, neglecting families of fallen soldiers, and favouring certain officers in promotions.
Their announcement was quickly countered by sources close to Talon, who confirmed he was safe and that loyalist forces were moving to re-establish control.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou later described the incident as “a mutiny to destabilise the country and its institutions,” adding that the armed forces had “maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt.”
The African Union condemned the attempted overthrow, urging soldiers to “immediately cease all unlawful actions” and return to their barracks. ECOWAS also described the move as unconstitutional and a threat to democratic order in the region.
Meanwhile, Nigeria deployed fighter jets to monitor developments across the border, security sources confirmed. The aircraft, which departed Lagos on Sunday, was seen operating in Beninese airspace as Abuja heightened surveillance of the unfolding crisis. A senior security official said the operation was not offensive but a strategic effort to safeguard national and regional security.
By Sunday afternoon, soldiers were reported to be blocking access to the presidency, state television, and some strategic areas in Cotonou. However, the airport and most parts of the city remained accessible, and military presence outside key installations appeared limited.
The incident adds to a growing list of coups and attempted power grabs in West Africa in recent years, including in Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau.
President Talon, 67, a former businessman dubbed the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is expected to hand over power in April 2026 at the end of his second term. While credited with driving economic growth, he has also faced accusations of restricting civic and political freedoms.
Security operations continued in Benin on Sunday as authorities worked to stabilise the capital and assert full control over military and civil institutions.
