Beninese President: The situation was brought under control after a failed coup attempt
Beninese President Patrice Talon announced on Sunday evening that the situation was under control, hours after he was subjected to a coup attempt by some military personnel.
In a speech to the Beninese people on state television, Talon added that thanks to the spirit of duty of our army and its officials, who have remained republican and loyal to the country, we have faced the situation and regained positions until we have cleared the last pockets of resistance to the rebels.
“This commitment and mobilization enabled us to thwart the plans of these adventurers and avoid the worst for our country,” the Beninese president explained.
He described what happened as extremely dangerous, denouncing the actions of a small group of soldiers, who he said “under the pretext of flimsy demands, carried out an insurgency with the aim of attacking the institutions of the republic and destabilizing our country, thus questioning the democratic system”.
He warned that this adventure would have led our country into a dark tunnel with disastrous consequences, and that it would have stopped the path of development that our country has started thanks to the efforts of all the daughters and sons of the country, stressing that this betrayal won’t go unpunished.
Talon expressed solidarity with the victims of this reckless adventure, and with the people who are still being held by the fleeing rebels, stressing work to bring them back safely.
Benin’s government announced the arrest of at least 12 military personnel, including those involved in the coup attempt.
The coup attempt comes as Benin prepares to organize presidential elections in April 2026, after which the president is expected to hand over power, as he has announced on several occasions that he respects the requirements of the constitution and won’t run for a third term.
In related context, The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced on Sunday evening that its transitional president, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, ordered the immediate deployment of elements of the ECOWAS standby force in the Republic of Benin following the foiling of a coup attempt in the country.
In its second statement after the attempt to overthrow Beninese President Patrice Talon, the West African Organization said the military force to be deployed would consist of forces coming from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Ghana.
It noted that this force will support the Government and the Republic of Benin, in order to preserve the constitutional order and territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin.
