Benin Coup Plot Collapses As Presidency Confirms Talon’s Safety And Army Restores Order
Benin was thrown into confusion on Sunday after a group of soldiers briefly took over the national television station and announced what they described as a successful military takeover of government.
The soldiers identified themselves as members of a newly formed Military Committee for Refoundation and were said to be led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. During the broadcast, Tigri declared himself “chairman of the military re-establishment committee” and claimed that President Patrice Talon had been removed from office and that all state institutions had been dissolved.
Reports from local outlet TchadOne indicated that the group had earlier attacked the president’s residence in the Le Guézo area before moving to seize control of the television station.
However, the Benin presidency quickly dismissed the claims and confirmed that President Talon was not harmed. Officials assured citizens that loyal forces were already restoring order across the capital.
“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 statement made it clear that the attempted takeover did not have the backing of the wider armed forces.
The incident comes amid a wider pattern of military interventions that have unsettled West Africa in recent years. In November 2025, Guinea-Bissau’s political process collapsed after generals seized power on the eve of a presidential election, detaining President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and suspending the polls. General Horta Inta-A was later installed to lead a one-year transition, a move that drew condemnation from ECOWAS. Opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa fled to Nigeria over safety concerns.
Mali has remained under military rule since the 2020 and 2021 coups that brought Colonel Assimi Goïta to power. In August 2025, the junta announced it had uncovered another coup plot, leading to the arrest of two generals and a French national. Political parties remain banned, elections have been pushed back indefinitely, and insecurity linked to jihadist groups continues to worsen.
Burkina Faso, under Captain Ibrahim Traoré since the 2022 coup, also faced an attempted overthrow in April 2025. Authorities accused senior officers of conspiring with terrorist groups, triggering security crackdowns in Ouagadougou. Elections have been postponed, and the junta has unveiled controversial reforms, including plans to restore the death penalty for treason and terrorism.
Niger’s military takeover in July 2023 remains another defining case. President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by his own presidential guard, paving the way for General Abdourahamane Tchiani to assume power with military backing. Despite regional sanctions and strained relations with Western partners, the country has remained under military rule, with public demonstrations reflecting deep divisions over the junta and foreign influence.
The failed move in Benin now adds to the growing list of coup attempts and military interventions reshaping the political landscape of the region.
