The regional bloc announces the sending of troops to Benin to contain the coup attempt; the president declares the situation “under control”

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Soldiers from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Ghana are being sent to the allied country to “support the government and the Beninese Republican Army in preserving the constitutional order and territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin,” the bloc said in a statement.

— The situation is completely under control — Beninese President Patrice Talon said Sunday evening in a statement on national television, following the attempted coup earlier in the day that authorities said they had foiled.

— I want to assure you that the situation is completely under control and I invite you to calmly resume your activities from this evening. Security and public order will be maintained throughout the national territory, added the president, before emphasizing that “this betrayal will not go unpunished.”

In the early hours of Sunday, a group of military officers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) claimed to have “dismissed” President Talon on Beninese national television, whose signal was cut shortly after.

Shortly after this announcement, a source close to the president told AFP that he was safe and that the army was regaining control.

— This is a small group that only controls the television channel. The regular army regains control. The city (Cotonou, the economic capital) and the country are completely safe, as are the president and his family, this source told AFP.

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Benin’s political history is marked by several coups and attempted coups. Patrice Talon, in power since 2016, will complete his second term in April 2026, the maximum authorized by the Constitution. The main opposition party is excluded from the upcoming elections, which will pit the ruling party against an opponent considered “moderate”.

Although recognized for Benin’s economic development, the opposition blames Talon for the authoritarian turn of a country once known for its vibrant democracy. Benin has a strong economy, but has been hit by jihadist violence in the north of the country. Since the start of the decade, West Africa has seen numerous coups in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea and, most recently, in late November, Guinea-Bissau.