Lagos – The leader of a failed coup in Benin remains at large, and the fate of hostages is still unknown, a day after a group of soldiers attempted to seize power in the West African nation.
The soldiers, calling themselves the Committee for Refoundation, stormed the national television station early Sunday morning. Led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, eight soldiers appeared on air announcing the removal of President Patrice Talon, the dissolution of the government, and the suspension of all state institutions.
By Sunday afternoon, Benin’s military, supported by Nigerian air and ground forces, had foiled the coup. At least a dozen soldiers were arrested, while others, including Tigri, remained at large. President Talon described the attempt as a “senseless adventure” and vowed to hold the mutineers accountable while ensuring the safety of hostages, believed to include senior military officers.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the coup, warning it could threaten regional stability. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu praised Nigerian forces for defending constitutional order in Benin at the invitation of the government.
ECOWAS confirmed it had deployed a standby force, including troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone, to help safeguard democracy in the country.
Calm returned to Cotonou on Monday, though a heavy military presence remains. Despite its history of coups since independence, Benin has enjoyed uninterrupted democratic governance over the past two decades.
The incident adds to a recent wave of military takeovers across West Africa, following coups in Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Guinea, and Gabon over the past five years.
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