Benin armed forces thwart attempted coup to oust president Patrice Talon
An attempted coup to overthrow President Patrice Talon’s government in Benin Republic on Sunday thwarted after a small group of mutineers in military uniforms failed to reach the presidential residence, instead seizing the state television station in Cotonou.
According to reports, security forces quickly surrounded the national broadcaster, ending the brief standoff, and by midday, the Republican Guard and army units had regained full control of the facility, with no casualties reported.
Eyewitnesses said fewer than 20 armed men stormed the Benin Television compound, briefly interrupting programming before being contained. The group was unable to advance toward the heavily fortified presidential palace in Porto Novo, about 40 kilometres away.
Government spokesman Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji described the incident as the actions of “a handful of misguided individuals” and confirmed the situation was under control. Local outlet 24 Heures au Bénin reported that negotiations inside the station led to the mutineers laying down their weapons.
The Informant247 reports that a group, labelling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced that the president Patrice Talon and all political officeholders have been effectively removed.
They also announced that all state institutions were also dissolved.
Meanwhile, the Benin presidency, while reacting to the incident, said President Patrice Talon is safe and the army is regaining control,
The presidency, while speaking to AFP on Sunday, shortly after a group of soldiers declared during a broadcast on Benin’s state TV that they had taken over the government, said, “This is a small group of people who only control the television,” his office said. “The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.”
Talon, the democratic president of Benin Republic, has been on the saddle since 2016 and had promised to leave office in 2026 after the presidential poll.
