Béninese officials declared on Sunday that they had successfully prevented an attempted coup d’état aimed at unseating President Patrice Talon. The President confirmed the situation was « totally under control », and the West African bloc ECOWAS announced it would provide military support.

This attempted putsch occurred just months before Patrice Talon is set to conclude his second presidential term, the maximum allowed. Bénin, a small West African nation experiencing strong economic growth, has simultaneously grappled with jihadist violence in its northern regions.

West Africa has been significantly impacted by political instability since the start of the decade, witnessing coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger (both bordering Bénin), as well as in Guinea, and most recently in late November in Guinea-Bissau.

On Sunday morning, following gunfire near the presidential palace, military personnel appeared on national television to declare President Talon’s removal. They cited various reasons, including a « deteriorating security situation » and challenges to « fundamental freedoms ».

Hours later, Bénin’s Minister of Interior, Alassane Seidou, also appeared on national television to confirm that the coup attempt had been thwarted.

President Patrice Talon reiterated this in a brief national address on Sunday evening, assuring citizens that the situation was « totally under control » and that « security and public order would be maintained across the entire national territory ».

« This treachery will not go unpunished », he declared, having previously commended the Republican Guard soldiers upon his arrival at the presidential palace.

France, the former colonial power, condemned the coup attempt on Sunday evening. It urged its citizens to exercise « the utmost caution and, specifically, to remain confined » due to « a still volatile context ».

Following a day where most residents in Cotonou, the economic capital, carried on with their routines, the city emptied out earlier than usual in the evening.

Multiple military checkpoints were established around the presidential area and the nearby Guézo military camp.

« Tonight, we’ll try to go home earlier. We don’t know who is behind this coup attempt », stated Michelle Eudoxie, a 50-year-old hairdresser.

Nabil Sacca, a petrol vendor who was near the presidential palace in the morning, recounted, « This morning I started hearing gunshots. I left the neighborhood to go elsewhere because I was scared ».

West African troops deployment

Military sources indicated that approximately a dozen soldiers were apprehended. A security source confirmed that some individuals involved in the attempted putsch were among those arrested, though it was not specified if the alleged leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, was included.

Later in the afternoon, Nigerian aviation conducted strikes in Cotonou, « in accordance with the protocols of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) », as stated by Nigerian Air Force spokesperson General Ehimen Ejodamen, who did not specify the targets.

ECOWAS subsequently announced the « immediate deployment » of forces from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana to support Bénin’s « government and republican army » and to « preserve constitutional order ».

The ECOWAS Standby Force is mandated to ensure peace and stability across the region. For instance, it was deployed in Gambia in 2017 when then-President Yahya Jammeh declined to relinquish power.

However, the force ultimately chose not to intervene in 2023 following the coup d’état in Niger.

The African Union (AU) « firmly and unequivocally » condemned this attempted coup.

Bénin’s political history includes several coups or attempts, with the most recent prior to this incident dating back to 1972.

Remy Agblo, a merchant, remarked, « Today, it’s as if I’m reliving what our parents experienced back then. Fortunately, it was thwarted ».

Patrice Talon, who has been in power since 2016, will complete his second term in 2026, which is the constitutional limit.

His designated successor, current Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is considered the overwhelming favorite for the April 2026 presidential election, especially since the main opposition party has been excluded from the race.

Anatole Zinsou, a computer scientist in Cotonou, noted that « there has been palpable tension in the country for months due to the elections », expressing regret over the « exclusion » of certain participants from the electoral processes.

While praised for Bénin’s economic development, Patrice Talon is frequently criticized by opponents for steering the nation towards authoritarianism, a country once celebrated for its vibrant democracy.