A swift and coordinated response by national and regional forces has quelled an attempted military coup in the West African nation of Benin. The audacious plot, which unfolded on Sunday, saw renegade soldiers seize the state broadcaster to declare the dissolution of government before being decisively repelled. President Patrice Talon later asserted that the situation was "totally under control," marking a critical victory for constitutional order in a region increasingly plagued by political instability.
The crisis began in the early hours when a faction of soldiers, identifying themselves as the "Military Committee for Refoundation," stormed the offices of the national television station. In a broadcast announcement, they proclaimed the removal of the president and the dismantling of all state institutions. The group’s purported leader was named as Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. Concurrently, gunfire erupted near the presidential residence in the economic capital, Cotonou, and two senior military officials were taken hostage, signaling a brazen and multi-pronged assault on the state.
The government’s reaction was immediate and bolstered by robust regional alliances. At the formal request of Benin’s authorities, neighboring Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu, authorized the deployment of fighter jets into Beninese airspace. According to a statement from Nigeria’s presidency, this air support was instrumental in "dislodging the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp." The afternoon was punctuated by massive explosions in Cotonou, widely believed to be the result of an airstrike conducted by Nigerian aircraft observed entering the country’s airspace earlier.
By the day’s end, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou confirmed that the attempt, aimed at destabilizing the nation’s institutions, had been thwarted. Security forces apprehended 14 individuals in connection with the plot, 12 of whom were allegedly involved in the takeover of the television station. The two kidnapped officials were subsequently freed, though the details surrounding their release remain unclear. A manhunt for remaining conspirators is ongoing.
The broader implications of the failed insurrection are significant. In a decisive move, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) activated and deployed a regional standby force, comprising troops from nations including Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. Their mandate is to support the legitimate government and preserve Benin’s territorial integrity. This collective action underscores a regional commitment to counter the contagion of military takeovers, which have recently destabilized several Sahel nations. While the immediate threat in Benin has been neutralized, the event exposes underlying tensions within the military establishment and serves as a stark reminder of the fragile political equilibrium in the region.