Benin interior minister says military coup attempt foiled by loyalist troops

A coup initially announced as successful in the west African country of Benin was foiled on Sunday, the country's interior minister said in a video shared to Facebook.

“In the early morning of Sunday, 7 December 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilising the state and its institutions,” said Alassane Seidou.

“Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic.”

Earlier, a group of soldiers appeared on Benin ’s state TV on Sunday to announce the dissolution of the government in an apparent coup, the latest of many in West Africa.

The group, which called itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced the removal of President Patrice Talon and all state institutions. The soldiers said that Pascal Tigri was appointed president of the military committee.

There has been no official news about President Patrice Talon since gunshots were heard around the presidential residence in the early hours of Sunday. However, the signal to the state television and public radio, which was cut off, has now been restored.

Benin has witnessed multiple coups since it gained its independence from France in 1960, especially in the immediate decades which followed it. Since 1991, the country has been politically stable following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou.

The regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), condemned the coup bid in a statement.

“ECOWAS strongly condemns this unconstitutional move that represents a subversion of the will of the people of Benin. ECOWAS will support the Government and the people in all forms necessary to defend the Constitution and the territorial integrity of Benin,” read the statement.

Talon has been in power since 2016 and is due to step down in April following the upcoming presidential election.

Talon’s party pick, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is the favourite to win the election. Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral commission on the grounds that he did not have sufficient sponsors.

Last month, the country’s legislature extended the presidential term of office from five to seven years, but opted to keep the term limits the same, currently limited to two.

The failed coup attempt comes after a series of military takeovers that have rocked West Africa. Last month, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.