Benin government says coup attempt 'foiled'

Benin's government on Sunday said that it had thwarted an attempted coup, after a group of soldiers announced on state television that they had ousted President Patrice Talon.

West Africa has experienced a number of coups in recent years, including in Benin's northern neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea and, most recently, Guinea-Bissau.

Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman, is due to hand over power in April next year after 10 years in office.

Early on Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR), said on state television that they had met and decided that "Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic."

Interior minister calls the Sunday events 'mutiny'

But shortly after the announcement, a source close to Talon told AFP the president was safe and condemned the coup plotters as "a small group of people who only control the television."

"The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure," they said. "It's just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well."

On the streets of Cotonou, the situation remained unclear by midday on Sunday. AFP correspondents reported hearing gunfire while soldiers blocked access to the presidential offices, even as residents elsewhere went about their business.

Interior Minister Alassane Seidou described the soldiers' announcement as "a mutiny" aimed at "destabilising the country and its institutions."

'Under control'

"Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt," he added.

On television, eight soldiers with assault rifles, wearing berets of various colours and calling themselves the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR), proclaimed a lieutenant colonel "president of the CMR."

They justified the attempted power grab by citing the "continuous deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin", the "neglect of soldiers killed in action and their families left to fend for themselves," as well as "unjust promotions at the expense of the most deserving."

A military source confirmed that the situation was "under control" and the coup plotters had not taken either Talon's residence or the presidential offices.

ECOWAS condemns 'subversion of the people's will'

An AFP journalist in the economic capital said soldiers were blocking access to the presidency and state television.

Access to several other areas, including the five-star Sofitel in Cotonou and districts housing international institutions, were also blocked.

But there was no military presence reported at the airport and the rest of the city.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Benin is a member, called the soldiers' actions "unconstitutional" and a "subversion of the will of the Beninese people."

Economic development

Benin attained independence from France in 1960.

Talon, who came to power in 2016, is due to reach the end of his second term in 2026, the maximum allowed by the constitution.

The main opposition party has been excluded from the race to succeed him.

Talon has been praised for bringing economic development to Benin but is regularly accused by his critics of not tolerating dissent.