The presidency of Benin Republic has assured the public that President Patrice Talon remains unharmed after a faction of soldiers announced a coup attempt early Sunday.
Heavy gunfire was reported around the president’s residence in Cotonou, while armoured units loyal to the government were seen securing key locations.
The renegade soldiers, identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” declared on state television that they had toppled the government, dissolved national institutions, and taken charge of the country. Talon, in power since 2016, has previously stated he would step down after the April 2026 presidential election.
This latest incident adds to a history of unrest in his administration. In 2024, the commander of the Republican Guard, Djimon Tevoedjre—also Talon’s top security aide—was arrested over an alleged coup plot.
Responding to Sunday’s developments, the presidency dismissed the announcement by the mutineers, describing them as “a small group of individuals who only managed to seize the television station.” It added that loyal forces were “restoring order” and that both the capital and the nation remain “fully secured.”
The attempted takeover comes amid a troubling pattern of military interventions across West Africa. Only weeks ago, officers in Guinea-Bissau seized power following a disputed election in which both leading candidates claimed victory ahead of official results.
Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger have all fallen under military rule between 2020 and 2023, marking a period of heightened instability in the region.
