Military Coup: Soldiers Topple Benin Republic’s President Talon

A group of soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri have announced overthrow of President Patrice Talon in a military coup.

The Coupists also declared in a TV broadcast on Sunday that the country’s borders had been closed and that all political parties had been suspended.

The troops who referred to themselves as part of the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), said they had met and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.

Talon’s whereabouts were unknown.

The French Embassy said on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence. It urged French citizens to remain indoors for security.

Talon was due to step down next April after 10 years in power.

However, despite the announcement, Talon’s office said he was safe and the army was regaining control.

The group of soldiers, which called itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, also announced the closure of borders and suspension of political parties.

President Patrice Talon, a cotton tycoon, first came to power in 2016. He won re-election five years later with 86 percent of the votes in the first round, boycotted by some opposition parties.

Talon was due to step down next April after the presidential election. His party’s choice, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, has been seen as the favourite to win.

Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.

Last month, the country’s legislature extended the presidential term of office from five to seven years, while keeping the term limit at two.

Talon safe, army regaining control: Presidency to AFP

Meanwhile, Benin’s government says loyalist soldiers and national guards have regained control after a group of soldiers announced on state television that they had seized power in an apparent coup attempt.

Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari claimed on Sunday that the coup plotters had taken control of state TV only and that the signal had been cut for several minutes.

“There is an attempt, but the situation is under control. Now it’s a small group of military. A large part of the army is still loyalist, and we are taking over the situation,” Bakari told the Reuters news agency.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television,” the presidency told the news agency.

“The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” it said.

Borders closed, political parties suspended

But the group of soldiers claim they have overthrown Talon and said all borders in the country have been closed, and political parties have been suspended.

Meanwhile, the French Embassy has said on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence.

A number of coups have taken place across the continent in recent years.

Just last month, army officials in Guinea-Bissau seized power in a military coup with General Horta Inta-A named as the head of a one-year transitional government. The country has experienced nine coup attempts since its independence from Portugal in 1974.

In 2023, military leader Brice Oligui Nguema toppled Gabon’s then-President Ali Bongo Ondimba, a leader whose family had held power in the country for almost 56 years.

That same year, a coup removed Niger’s Mohamed Bazoum, a democratically elected leader who ruled for just two years before he was forced out of office. A military government was then installed, led by President Abdourahamane Tchiani.

In 2022, Burkina Faso’s military leader, President Paul-Henri Damiba, was deposed in the country’s second coup in a year, as army Captain Ibrahim Traore took charge.

In Mali, General Assimi Goita led soldiers to seize power in a 2020 coup.