President Patrice Talon of Benin thanked the army leaders who helped stop the planned military coup and promised to punish those involved.
On Sunday morning, a group of soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee of Refoundation took over state television and announced the government was dissolved. Hours later, the interior minister said the coup had been stopped.
Talon addressed the nation on Sunday evening, saying, “I want to praise the sense of duty shown by our army and its commanders, who remained loyal to the country. Together, we held our ground, regained our positions, and overcame the last strongholds of the mutineers. This betrayal will not go unpunished.
Talon expressed sympathy for the victims of the coup attempt and said efforts would be made to ensure the safety of those still held by the fleeing mutineers. He did not provide numbers for casualties or arrested soldiers, and it is unclear whether coup leader Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri was arrested. Cotonou has been calm, though gunfire was heard and soldiers patrolled parts of the capital. Television and radio signals cut off by the state have been restored.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) asked Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana to send troops to help the Benin army maintain constitutional order. ECOWAS called the coup attempt a subversion of the will of the people of Benin and assisted in restoring the government. Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga reported that Benin requested air and ground forces. He said it took several hours for loyal government forces, with Nigeria’s help, to regain control and flush out the coup plotters on national TV.
The coup is the latest in a series of military actions in West Africa. Last month in Guinea-Bissau, former President Umaro Embalo was removed from office by a military coup after a disputed election. The nominee of his party, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is a favorite to win. The electoral commission refused to allow opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo to run, saying he did not have enough sponsors.
In January, two Talon partners were given 20 years for a 2024 coup scheme. The month before, the legislature increased the president’s term to 7 years without changing the 2-term limit.
