Benin Soldiers Announce Ouster of President Talon, Presidency Says Leader Is Safe

A group of soldiers in Benin on Sunday announced that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office, but the presidency insisted the leader was safe and that the military was restoring order.

The soldiers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), appeared on state television declaring that they had resolved to “remove Mr. Patrice Talon from office as President of the Republic.”

The development comes amid a wave of political instability in West Africa, following recent coups in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Benin also shares northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso—two nations that have experienced military takeovers in recent years.

The French Embassy reported “gunfire at Camp Guezo,” located near the president’s official residence in Cotonou, and advised French nationals to remain indoors.

However, Talon’s office quickly dismissed the soldiers’ claims, describing the group as a “small faction” controlling only the state broadcaster. “The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the presidency told AFP, assuring that the 67-year-old leader remained unharmed.

Benin has a history of coups and attempted coups, although the country had been considered relatively stable in recent years. Talon, who first took office in 2016, is expected to conclude his second and final constitutional term in April 2026.

The political landscape ahead of the next election remains tense, with the main opposition party excluded from the succession race. The ruling party is set to face what analysts describe as a “moderate” opposition bloc.

Talon—once a powerful businessman known as the “cotton king” of Cotonou—has received credit for advancing economic growth but faces persistent criticism from opponents who accuse him of authoritarian tendencies.