Benin’s interior minister has reportedly appeared on national TV to announce the foiling of a military coup attempt in the West Africa nation that occurred on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
As reported by BBC, a group of soldiers led by Lt-Col Pascal Tigri has made a broadcast saying that they had suspended the constitution.
The French embassy in Benin said gunfire has been reported near the residence of the president in the main city of Cotonou.
Spectators told the BBC that they heard sounds of gunshots and some journalists working for the state broadcaster were detained.
In this connection, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said, “Early on Sunday morning, 7 December 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilizing the state and its institutions.”
He further explained, “Faced with this situation, the Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic. Their response allowed them to retain control of the situation and foil the attempt.”
It has been observed that helicopters have been flying over Cotonou and roads are barricaded with a heavy military presence on several side streets in the city.
The French and Russian embassies have prompted their citizens to stay indoors for their safety.
Meanwhile, the US embassy’s suggestion was to stay away from Cotonou, particularly from the area around the presidential compound.
The soldiers striving for the attempted coup justified their actions by criticizing President Talon’s management of the country.
A statement read by one of the soldiers said: ” The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice and work prevail.”
The 67-year-old Talon has been praised by supporters for accommodating economic growth, but his government has also been criticized for suppression of political dissent.
Concerning the situation, the electoral commission prohibited the main opposition candidate from standing on the grounds that he did not have enough sponsors.
This recent revelation of a coup attempt in Benin comes just over a week after Umaro Sissoco Embalo was supplanted as president in nearby Guinea-Bissau.
There have been several coups in West Africa observed in recent years, including in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, raising fears that the security could be destabilized.
Nonetheless, an apparent military coup attempt in Benin was foiled and immediately stamped down by forces loyal to the government.
