President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic
By Our Reporter
There was an attempted coup in
Benin as the west African country was thrown into confusion on Sunday after a faction of soldiers appeared on state television to announce that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office, prompting an immediate response from loyalist forces who moved swiftly to retake control of key institutions.
The soldiers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), seized the national broadcaster early in the day and declared that they had deposed the president, whose second term is due to end in April.
Led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, the group claimed to have convened and resolved to “refound” the state. Reports of gunfire near the presidential residence heightened tensions and raised questions about the president’s safety.
The Presidency quickly countered the claims, insisting that President Talon was “safe, fully in charge, and not under any form of threat.” Officials described the incident as a “sabotage attempt carried out by a very small rogue group.”
“Government forces have regained full control. The country remains secure,” the presidency said.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari confirmed that loyalist units had retaken the broadcaster and other installations, describing the situation as “under complete control.”
The attempted coup comes amid a wave of military takeovers sweeping parts of West and Central Africa, though Benin has not seen a successful coup since the 1970s.
