The Benin Republic government announced on Sunday that it has foiled a military coup attempt after a group of soldiers briefly appeared on state television claiming they had seized power.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari told Reuters that the plotters “only took control of state TV” before the signal was cut. “There is an attempt, but the situation is under control,” he said.
The group, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri and calling itself the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), had appeared on air announcing the overthrow of President Patrice Talon and the closure of the country’s borders. Talon has led Benin since 2016.
The presidency told AFP that “the regular army is regaining control” and that both the city and the country are “completely secure.” Talon is safe.
AFP reported that gunfire was heard near the presidential residence at the time of the broadcast, according to the French Embassy.
The incident comes as several West and Central African nations have experienced military takeovers in recent years, including neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Benin, long seen as a stable democracy and key ally of Western powers, had largely avoided such unrest.
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