Benin coup leader’s location, fate of hostages unknown after failed takeover

The apparent leader of a failed coup in Benin was on the run and the fate of hostages remained unclear a day after a group of soldiers attempted to overthrow the government of the West African nation.

The soldiers calling themselves the Committee for Refoundation stormed the national television station early on Sunday morning. Led by Benin army officer Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, eight soldiers appeared in a broadcast announcing the removal of President Patrice Talon, dissolution of the government and suspension of all state institutions.

By Sunday afternoon, the coup was foiled by Benin’s military, supported by Nigerian air and ground forces, which launched a series of attacks against fleeing mutineers. At least a dozen soldiers were arrested while others remained at large Monday. Tigri’s whereabouts were not known.

Mr. Talon described the coup late on Sunday as a “senseless adventure” and said the situation was under control. He vowed to punish mutineers and ensure the safety of hostages, including some believed to be senior military officers. He did not disclose their identities or the number of casualties and hostages.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on Sunday condemned the attempted coup, saying it would “further threaten the stability of the region.” Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu praised Nigeria’s armed forces for standing “as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government.”

The Economic Community of West African States, the organisation representing the regional bloc of nations, said on Sunday it had deployed a standby force to Benin to help preserve democracy. The troops included personnel from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. The size of the force remains unclear.

Calm returned on Monday (December 8) to Cotonou, Benin’s administrative centre, after sporadic gunshots were heard across the city throughout Sunday, but there a heavy presence of soldiers remained on the streets.

Despite a history of coups following its independence from France in 1960, the tiny country has enjoyed uninterrupted democratic rule in the past two decades.

The attempted coup is the latest in a spate of coups that have rocked West Africa since 2020. Soldiers seized power last month in Guinea-Bissau after disputed election results, following Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Guinea and Gabon among the countries that have experienced similar takeovers in the past five years.