Military personnel in Benin announced on Sunday that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office, prompting a brief period of uncertainty before the presidency said the attempted coup had been contained.
The group of soldiers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), appeared on state television to declare that they had met and agreed that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”
Their broadcast came amid reports of gunfire around Camp Guezo, near Talon’s official residence in Cotonou.
The French Embassy, writing on X, confirmed that shots had been heard in the area and urged French nationals in the economic capital to remain indoors.
But Talon’s entourage later told newsmen that the president was “safe” and insisted the situation was under control.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the president’s office said.
Benin, once regarded as a stable democracy in West Africa, has a long history of coups and attempted coups.
The latest incident comes amid heightened political turbulence in the region, following military takeovers in Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Talon, 67, a former businessman widely known as the “cotton king,” has led Benin since 2016.
He is scheduled to step down at the end of his second term in 2026, in line with constitutional limits.
His decade-long presidency has drawn mixed reactions as supporters credit him with driving economic reforms and modernising state institutions, while critics accuse him of stifling dissent and sidelining rivals.
The main opposition party has been barred from contesting the upcoming presidential transition, leaving a so-called “moderate” opposition to compete against the ruling party.
Authorities in Benin are expected to announce further details as investigations continue.
AFP
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