Benin Says Armed Forces Crush Attempted Coup After Soldiers Seize State TV

Benin’s government announced on Sunday that its armed forces had stopped an attempted coup, hours after a group of soldiers appeared on national television claiming to have taken control of the country.

The dramatic events added to growing concerns over democratic stability in West Africa, a region shaken by multiple military takeovers in recent years, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and, more recently, Guinea-Bissau.

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On Sunday morning, at least eight armed soldiers appeared on state broadcaster ORTB, declaring that a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal had seized power.

They claimed to be dissolving national institutions, suspending the constitution and shutting the country’s air, land and sea borders.

“The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice and work prevail,” one of the soldiers said in a statement read aloud on air.

Benin Says Coup Plot Stopped Within Hours

A few hours later, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou went on the same broadcaster to announce that the coup attempt had been thwarted.

“Therefore, the government urges the population to go about their business as usual,” he said.

Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari had earlier confirmed to Reuters that “a small group” of soldiers had attempted to overthrow the government but emphasised that forces loyal to President Patrice Talon were swiftly working to restore order.

He said the plotters had only succeeded in briefly taking over state television. The channel cut transmission after the soldiers delivered their message, resuming shortly afterwards so the interior minister could address the nation and confirm the attempt had failed.

The coup attempt drew swift criticism from West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS, as well as the African Union, both of which condemned the actions of the soldiers.

Benin, long considered one of the region’s more stable democracies, now joins a growing list of West African nations confronting attempts to derail constitutional rule.

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