Benin’s government says loyalist soldiers and national guards have regained control after a group of soldiers announced on state television that they had seized power in an apparent coup attempt.
This is even as the leader of the matinées, Colonel Pascal Tigri, is said to be on the run
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari and Minister of Interior, Alassane Seidou,
said in a separate interviews on Sunday that the coup plotters had taken control of state TV only and that the signal had been cut for several minutes.
“There is an attempt, but the situation is under control. Now it’s a small group of military. A large part of the army is still loyalist, and we are taking over the situation,” Bakari told the Reuters news agency.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television,” the presidency told the news agency.
“The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” Bakari.
Also dismissing the coup, Seidou said: “Early on Sunday morning, 7 December 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions.
“Faced with this situation, the Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic. Their response allowed them to retain control of the situation and foil the attempt,” he said.
“The government therefore urges the population to go about their activities as normal.”
The Coup
Earlier, a group of soldiers, led by Lt-Col Pascal Tigri, had made a broadcast saying they had ousted President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution.
They announced the suspension of the constitution and closure of the land borders.
The soldiers leading the attempted coup justified their actions by criticising President Talon’s management of the country.
“The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice and work prevail,” said a statement read by one of the soldiers.
In social media posts, the French embassy in Benin said gunfire had been reported near the residence of the president in the main city of Cotonou, which is the seat of government. Eyewitnesses told the BBC that they had heard gunshots and some journalists working for the state broadcaster were held hostage.
The French and Russian embassies have urged their citizens to stay indoors for their safety.
The US embassy advised was to stay away from Cotonou, especially the area around the presidential compound.
A presidential adviser has since said that the president is safe and is at the French embassy.
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