Around a dozen soldiers have been arrested in Benin following an attempted coup d’état that briefly disrupted national broadcasting on Sunday. According to military and security sources who spoke to AFP, the detained group includes the alleged ringleaders of the failed operation.
One security official confirmed that 13 individuals had been taken into custody, noting that all but one are serving members of the Beninese armed forces. The remaining detainee, sources said, is a former soldier believed to have maintained connections within the military.
The arrests came shortly after a startling broadcast aired on Benin’s national television early Sunday morning. In the broadcast, a group of uniformed officers announced that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office and dissolved all state institutions. The officers identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, declaring that they had successfully seized power and assumed control of national governance.
However, the presidency swiftly pushed back against the claims, telling AFP that President Talon remains safe, and emphasising that loyalist forces were actively restoring order. Government officials characterised the attempted power grab as the work of “a small group” with minimal operational capacity.
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“This is a small group of people who only control the television,” the presidency stated. “The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.”
The brief takeover of the state broadcaster caused unease in parts of the capital, Cotonou, though no major clashes were reported. By midday, government communications indicated that the national broadcaster had returned to normal programming and that operations across key institutions were stabilising.
The attempted coup has drawn immediate attention from Benin’s regional partners. Neighbouring governments, including Nigeria—already contending with simmering security challenges—have expressed concern over the rising frequency of military takeovers in West Africa and have condemned any unconstitutional change of government.
Further details are expected as investigations continue and authorities interrogate the detained officers. For now, the Talon administration maintains that the situation is fully under control and that the country remains stable despite the dramatic morning broadcast.
—AFP
