Benin’s armed forces have foiled an attempted mutiny after a group of soldiers declared on state television Sunday that President Patrice Talon had been removed from office, authorities said.
Interior and Public Security Minister Alassane Seidou said the military, “faithful to their oath,” acted swiftly to keep the situation under control. The government urged citizens to continue daily activities as normal.
Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni told Jeune Afrique the mutineers were “trapped” and that helicopters and troops had secured central Cotonou. Gunshots were reported near Camp Guezo, close to the president’s residence, and soldiers briefly seized the state broadcaster. The presidency said Talon is safe and government forces have regained control.
Local residents said armed soldiers were deployed at key intersections in Cotonou, but markets remained open.
The group of soldiers, calling themselves the Military Committee for the Refoundation, had announced Talon’s dismissal earlier Sunday.
Benin, a West African nation of about 14 million people, has been largely stable since 1991 but has experienced coups and attempted coups since independence from France in 1960. Talon, first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2021, is due to step down after the April 2026 election.
The attempted mutiny comes amid a wave of military takeovers in West Africa, including last month’s coup in Guinea-Bissau that ousted President Umaro Embalo.