The president of Benin has made a television appearance to assure the citizens of the West African nation that the situation is now “entirely under control” after an attempted coup occurred earlier that day.
Patrice Talon expressed his appreciation for the loyalty shown by the military and its leaders during the live evening broadcast, appearing composed.
Authorities claimed to have successfully neutralized the mutiny just hours after a contingent of soldiers declared a coup on national television.
In the afternoon, loud explosions were reported in Cotonou, which is Benin’s largest city and government hub, believed to have been caused by an air strike.
BTVBefore the explosions, flight-tracking information indicated that three aircraft had crossed into Benin’s airspace from neighboring Nigeria before returning.
A representative for Nigeria’s president later confirmed that their fighter jets had entered to “control the airspace in order to assist in dislodging the coup conspirators from national television and a military base where they had regrouped”.
With a history of coups in West Africa, the thwarted attempt in Benin has raised concerns that regional security may deteriorate.
Once a French colony, Benin is known for being one of Africa’s more stable democracies. However, Talon has been accused of quelling dissent against his policies.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest cotton-producing nations, it is ranked among the poorest globally.
Nigeria, Benin’s sizable neighbor to the east, has labeled the coup attempt as a “direct attack on democracy”.
In his speech, the 67-year-old president noted that loyalist forces had “eliminated the final remnants of resistance from the mutineers”.
Talon added, “This effort and mobilization allowed us to thwart these opportunists and prevent catastrophe for our nation. This betrayal will not escape punishment.”
“I assure you that the situation is entirely controlled, and I encourage everyone to conduct their affairs peacefully tonight.”
While it remains unknown if any casualties occurred, the president extended condolences to “the victims of this irrational venture, along with those still detained by fleeing mutineers”.
Earlier, government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji informed Reuters that 14 individuals had been apprehended in connection to the attempted coup.
A journalist in Benin reported to the BBC that among those arrested, 12 are believed to have breached the national television offices, including a soldier who had been previously dismissed.
Witnesses told the BBC that gunfire was detected near the presidential residence early on Sunday as a group of soldiers proclaimed on national television that they were suspending the constitution.
They also reported that some journalists from the state broadcaster had been briefly taken hostage.
Both the French and Russian embassies advised their nationals to stay indoors, while the U.S. embassy recommended avoiding Cotonou, particularly around the presidential area.
The insurgent soldiers, led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, justified their actions by critiquing Talon’s management of the country, particularly his approach to the “ongoing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin”.
Benin’s military has incurred losses near its northern frontier with Niger and Burkina Faso, plagued by insurgency recently, as jihadist groups affiliated with Islamic State and al-Qaeda expand southward.
The soldiers’ announcement referenced “the indifference and negligence concerning the plight of our courageous comrades who have fallen in battle and, most crucially, that of their families, forsaken by Mr. Patrice Talon’s administration”.
The rebels also criticized cutbacks in healthcare, including the withdrawal of state-sponsored dialysis, increases in taxes, and restrictions on political activities.
Talon, known for his close ties to the West, is expected to leave office next year after his second term, with elections planned for April.
A businessman nicknamed the “cotton king,” he assumed power in 2016 and has pledged not to pursue a third term, despite Benin’s current limit of two terms for presidents, endorsing Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.
Supporters praise Talon for steering economic growth, yet his administration faces criticism for stifling opposing views.
In October, Benin’s electoral authority prohibited the primary opposition candidate from competing, claiming insufficient sponsorship.
Recently, MPs ratified constitutional changes, including establishing a second parliamentary chamber, the Senate.
The tenure for elected officials was extended from five to seven years, but the two-term limit for presidency remained unchanged.
ReutersThe coup attempt on Sunday occurred just over a week after the ousting of Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló – although some regional figures have raised doubts about the authenticity of the event.
In recent times, West Africa has witnessed coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, triggering worries about the stability of the region.
Russia’s influence has grown in these Sahel nations in recent years – with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger opting out of the West African regional group Ecowas to establish their own alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States.
Reports of the coup attempt in Benin garnered approval from various pro-Russian accounts on social media, as per BBC Monitoring.
Both Ecowas and the African Union (AU) have condemned the coup attempt.
Ecowas has announced the dispatch of a contingent from their standby force to maintain the “constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin,” according to a statement from the regional body.
Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, chair of the AU Commission, reiterated the organization’s “zero tolerance policy towards any unconstitutional transitions of power, irrespective of the context or reasoning provided”.
