Kathmandu — A military faction in the West African nation of Benin announced on national television that it had overthrown President Patrice Talon and seized power, triggering concerns of instability in the country.
According to a message received from the French Embassy in Benin, gunfire was reported near the presidential residence in Cotonou, the country’s commercial capital.
The soldiers claimed to have suspended the constitution and ordered the closure of all land borders and the national airspace, declaring that they were taking control to restore order.
However, officials close to President Talon disputed the coup attempt, asserting that the president is safe and that only a small group of soldiers is involved—without broader military backing.
“The situation is under control. The majority of the armed forces remain loyal, and we are in the process of restoring order,” Benin’s Foreign Minister, Segun Adjadi Bakari, told Reuters.
A senior official from the presidential palace, speaking anonymously to AFP, also reassured the public: “This is just a small group that seized the television station. The city and the country are completely secure.”
In a televised statement, the soldiers announced that Lieutenant Colonel Tigri Pascal would lead the newly formed military council.
This alleged coup attempt comes amid increased political tensions in several West African states in recent years, although government sources insist stability in Benin has not been compromised.
