Authorities in Bénin declared on Sunday that they had successfully thwarted an attempted coup d’état aimed at unseating President Patrice Talon. The president reassured the nation that the situation was “totally under control,” while the West African regional bloc CEDEAO committed to sending military support to the country.

This attempted overthrow occurs just months before President Talon is scheduled to conclude his second term in office. Bénin, a small West African nation, has experienced robust economic growth but faces increasing challenges from jihadist violence in its northern regions.

The broader West African area has been particularly susceptible to political instability since the beginning of the decade, marked by military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — two of Bénin’s immediate neighbors — as well as in Guinea and, most recently, in Guinea-Bissau at the end of November.

On Sunday morning, following reports of gunfire near the presidential palace, soldiers appeared on national television to declare President Talon’s removal. They cited a range of grievances, including the “deterioration of the security situation” and infringements upon “fundamental freedoms.”

However, only a few hours later, Bénin’s Minister of Interior, Alassane Seidou, also addressed the nation via television, confirming that the coup attempt had been foiled.

President Patrice Talon reiterated this in a brief national address Sunday evening, affirming that the situation was “totally under control” and that “security and public order will be maintained across the entire national territory.”

“This treacherous act will not go unpunished,” he added, having commended the Republican Guard soldiers upon his arrival at the presidential palace.

France, the former colonial power, issued a condemnation of the coup attempt on Sunday evening and urged its citizens “to exercise extreme caution and, notably, to remain confined,” citing a “still volatile context.”

After a day where most residents in Cotonou, the economic capital, carried on with their normal activities, the city emptied earlier than usual in the evening, as reported by a journalist. Several military checkpoints were established in the vicinity of the presidency and the adjacent Guézo military camp.

“Tonight, we will try to go home earlier. We don’t know who is behind this coup,” explained Michelle Eudoxie, a 50-year-old hairdresser.

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

West African troops deployed

Military sources indicated that approximately a dozen soldiers have been apprehended. Among those arrested are some individuals involved in the attempted coup, a security source confirmed, without specifying if the alleged leader of the mutineers, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, was among them.

In the late afternoon, Nigerian aviation conducted airstrikes in Cotonou “in accordance with the protocols of the Economic Community of West African States (CEDEAO),” stated Nigerian Air Force spokesperson General Ehimen Ejodamen, without detailing the specific targets.

CEDEAO subsequently declared the “immediate deployment” of troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. This force aims to support Bénin’s “government and republican army” and to “preserve constitutional order.”

The CEDEAO Standby Force is mandated to ensure peace and stability throughout the region. For instance, it intervened in Gambia in 2017 when then-President Yahya Jammeh refused to relinquish power. However, the force ultimately chose not to intervene following the 2023 coup in Niger.

The African Union (AU) also issued a strong condemnation, describing the coup attempt as “firmly and unequivocally” unacceptable.

Bénin’s political history has seen numerous coups or attempted coups, but the last successful one occurred in 1972.

“Today, it feels like I’m reliving what our parents experienced back then,” remarked Remy Agblo, a local merchant, “fortunately, it was thwarted.”

Patrice Talon, who assumed power in 2016, is set to complete his second term in 2026, which is the maximum allowed by the constitution.

His hand-picked successor, current Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is widely considered the leading candidate for the April 2026 presidential election, particularly since the main opposition party has been barred from participating.

“There has been a palpable tension in the country for months due to the elections,” noted Anatole Zinsou, an IT professional in Cotonou, who expressed concern over the “exclusion” of certain political figures from the electoral processes.

While President Talon is often lauded for Bénin’s economic progress, critics frequently accuse him of steering the country towards authoritarianism, a stark contrast to its past reputation as a beacon of democratic vitality.