Military personnel in Benin on Sunday announced that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office, although sources close to him said he was safe and that loyal forces were regaining control. Talon, a 67 year old former businessman often called the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is expected to leave office in April next year after a decade in power marked by steady economic growth alongside a rise in jihadist violence in parts of the country.

 

 

 

West Africa has witnessed a wave of military takeovers in recent years, including in Benin’s northern neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea and, most recently, Guinea Bissau. In the early hours of Sunday, December 7, soldiers describing themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” appeared on state television to announce that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic,” before the broadcast signal was cut later in the morning.

 

 

 

 

Shortly after the announcement, a source close to the president told AFP that Talon was safe. “This is 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,” the source said. “It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean up is progressing well.” A military source also confirmed that the situation was “under control” and that the suspected coup plotters had not taken over either the president’s residence or the presidential offices.

 

 

The French Embassy said on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence in the economic capital and urged French nationals to remain indoors for their safety. Benin has a history of repeated coups and attempted coups, although it has enjoyed relative political stability in recent decades.

 

 

 

Talon, who came to power in 2016, is serving his second and final term, which constitutionally ends in 2026. The main opposition party has been excluded from the contest to succeed him, leaving the ruling party to face a so called moderate opposition. While Talon has been credited with advancing economic development, his critics regularly accuse him of authoritarian tendencies.