Benin Quashes Coup Attempt, Presidency Says Talon Firmly in Control

The Benin presidency on Sunday insisted it remained firmly in control following an attempted coup by a group of soldiers who claimed to have deposed President Patrice Talon.

In an early-morning broadcast on state television, soldiers identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) announced that they had met and resolved to remove Talon from office. The transmission, however, was cut shortly after the declaration.

A source close to the president told AFP that Talon was safe and that loyalist forces were swiftly restoring order. “This is a small group controlling only the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the source said, adding that a full return to normalcy was only a matter of time.

A military official also confirmed that the situation was “under control,” noting that the coup plotters had failed to seize either the presidential residence or the presidential offices.

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

The French Embassy reported gunfire at Camp Guezo, near the president’s official residence in Cotonou, and urged its citizens to remain indoors.

Talon, 67, a former businessman widely known as the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is expected to hand over power in April 2026 after a decade in office. His tenure has been defined by significant economic gains but also rising jihadist attacks, particularly in northern regions.

Benin’s northern neighbours—Niger and Burkina Faso—have seen a string of military takeovers in recent years, mirroring similar coups in Mali, Guinea, and most recently Guinea-Bissau.

As the political climate intensifies ahead of next year’s transition, the main opposition party has been barred from the succession race, leaving the ruling party to compete against what analysts describe as a “moderate” opposition bloc.

While Talon has won praise for economic reforms and infrastructure development, critics continue to accuse him of authoritarian governance, a charge that has shadowed his administration despite its policy achievements.