Military officers in Benin Republic have seized power, declaring the federal government dissolved in a televised broadcast on Sunday.
The soldiers, who identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, said the president and all political officeholders had been removed from office. They also announced the dissolution of all state institutions.
President Patrice Talon, in office since 2016, had previously stated he would step down in April 2026 after the next presidential election.
This takeover comes roughly a year after the September 2024 arrest of Djimon Tevoedjre, then commander of the republican guard and head of Talon’s security, over an alleged coup attempt.
Benin now joins a growing list of West African countries under military control. Just last month, Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces took charge following a disputed election in which both President Umaro Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias claimed victory before official results were published.
Burkina Faso in 2022, Guinea in 2021, Mali in 2020, and Niger in 2023, have also experienced coups in recent years, marking a continued trend of democratic backsliding across the region.
