Security forces loyal to President Patrice Talon have successfully foiled an attempted coup in Benin Republic, according to new details released by the government. Interior Minister Alassane Seidou confirmed on Saturday that the country’s armed forces had thwarted the plot and prevented the military takeover from gaining ground.
Although initial reports suggested unrest in parts of the country, government officials later announced that the army had “regained control” and that the situation was “fully under control.” The attempted coup comes at a politically sensitive moment for Benin, just months before a presidential election scheduled for April.
President Talon, who first assumed office in 2016 and secured re-election in 2021, is constitutionally required to step down at the end of his second term next year. The 67-year-old leader has overseen a period of economic expansion but has faced criticism over democratic backsliding and rising insecurity in the northern regions.
The coup attempt follows a period of heightened political tension in Benin. Last month, the country adopted a new constitution extending the presidential mandate from five to seven years — a move critics described as a calculated power grab by the ruling coalition.
The coalition has nominated Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as its presidential candidate. Meanwhile, the principal opposition party, The Democrats, founded by former president Thomas Boni Yayi, has been weakened after its preferred candidate was disqualified by the courts for failing to obtain sufficient backing from lawmakers.
Analysts say the coup attempt reflects growing unease over the political climate as the country approaches a crucial transition of power.
Despite Talon’s reputation for restoring economic stability, Benin has in recent years faced a wave of attacks from extremist groups operating across the Sahel. Militants linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have expanded their activities from Mali and Burkina Faso into northern Benin, resulting in deadly ambushes and security operations.
In April, the government revealed that 54 Beninese soldiers were killed in a single attack in the north by an al-Qaeda-affiliated group — one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s history.
African Union Condemns Coup Attempt
The African Union (AU) has reacted strongly to the events in Benin, denouncing the attempted military takeover. In a statement issued on Saturday, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Yousouf “strongly and unequivocally condemns the military coup attempt,” describing any interference by armed forces in political processes as “a grave violation of the fundamental principles and values” of the continental body.
The AU reaffirmed its support for President Talon and the constitutional order in Benin. It also expressed readiness, alongside regional and international partners, to help “ensure the full restoration of constitutional normalcy and the strengthening of democratic institutions.”
With tensions rising and the political landscape increasingly volatile, attention now turns to President Talon’s next steps and the government’s capacity to stabilise the country ahead of next year’s elections.
Benin’s leadership faces a dual challenge: managing internal political disputes while confronting growing security threats, both of which have been thrust into sharper focus by the failed coup attempt.
