This attempted putsch occurs just months before Patrice Talon is set to conclude his second term as president. Bénin, a small West African nation, has experienced robust economic growth but faces increasing jihadist violence in its northern regions.

The West African region has been particularly affected by political instability since the turn of the decade, with military takeovers occurring in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — two of Bénin’s neighbors — as well as in Guinea and, most recently in late November, in Guinea-Bissau.

On Sunday morning, following gunfire near the presidential palace, soldiers appeared on national television to declare President Talon’s ouster. They cited various reasons, including the “deterioration of the security situation” and challenges to “fundamental freedoms.”

A few hours later, Bénin’s Minister of Interior, Alassane Seidou, also appeared on national television to confirm that the coup had been foiled.

President Patrice Talon reiterated this in a brief address to the nation on Sunday evening, affirming that the situation was “totally under control” and that “security and public order will be maintained across the entire national territory.”

“This betrayal will not go unpunished,” he added, after congratulating the Republican Guard soldiers upon his arrival at the presidential palace.

France, the former colonial power, condemned the coup attempt on Sunday evening and advised its citizens to “exercise extreme caution and remain confined,” citing an “still volatile context.”

After a day where most residents went about their daily activities in Cotonou, the economic capital emptied earlier than usual in the evening.

Several military checkpoints were established in the vicinity of the presidency and the nearby Guézo military camp.

“Tonight, we’re trying to get home earlier. We don’t know who is behind this coup,” explained Michelle Eudoxie, a 50-year-old hairdresser.

“This morning I started hearing gunshots. I left the neighborhood to go elsewhere because I was scared,” recounted Nabil Sacca, a gasoline vendor who was near the presidential palace earlier that day.

West African troops deployed

Approximately a dozen soldiers have been apprehended. Among them are some of those responsible for the attempted putsch, though it was not specified if the alleged leader of the mutineers, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, was among them.

In the late afternoon, Nigerian aviation conducted strikes in Cotonou, which were “in line with the protocols of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),” according to General Ehimen Ejodamen, spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, who did not specify the targets.

ECOWAS subsequently announced the “immediate deployment” of troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana to support Bénin’s “government and republican army” and to “preserve constitutional order.”

The ECOWAS Standby Force is mandated to ensure peace and stability in the region. For instance, it was deployed to The Gambia in 2017 when then-President Yahya Jammeh refused to relinquish power.

However, the force ultimately decided against intervening in 2023 following the coup in Niger.

The African Union (AU) “strongly and unequivocally” condemned this coup attempt.

Bénin’s political history has been marked by several coups or attempts, but the most recent prior incident dates back to 1972.

“Today, it’s like reliving what our parents experienced back then,” remarked Remy Agblo, a merchant, “fortunately, it was thwarted.”

Patrice Talon, who has been in power since 2016, will complete his second term, the constitutional maximum, in 2026.

His designated successor, current Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is considered the overwhelming favorite for the April 2026 presidential election, especially since the main opposition party has been excluded from the race.

“There has been a palpable tension in the country for months due to the elections,” observed Anatole Zinsou, a computer scientist in Cotonou, who lamented the “exclusion” of certain actors from the electoral processes.

While praised for Bénin’s economic development, Patrice Talon is frequently accused by critics of steering the country towards authoritarianism, despite its past reputation for democratic dynamism.