Benin’s inside minister says a coup introduced earlier has been foiled : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5616x3744+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F48%2F021221d4450383eb453ac4b33896%2Fap25341337990898.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5616x3744+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2F48%2F021221d4450383eb453ac4b33896%2Fap25341337990898.jpg" class="img" alt="FILE - Benin's President Patrice Talon attends a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 23, 2024." fetchpriority="high"/> FILE - Benin's President Patrice Talon attends a gathering with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Might 23, 2024. Eraldo Peres/AP conceal caption

toggle caption

Eraldo Peres/AP COTONOU, Benin — A coup that was introduced in Benin on Sunday has been "foiled," the inside minister stated in a video on Fb.

"Within the early morning of Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, a small group of troopers launched a mutiny with the intention of destabilizing the state and its establishments," Alassane Seidou stated.

"Confronted with this example, the Beninese Armed Forces and their management, true to their oath, remained dedicated to the republic."

Earlier, a gaggle of troopers had appeared on Benin 's state TV Sunday to announce the dissolution of the federal government in an obvious coup, the newest of many in West Africa.

The group, which referred to as itself the Navy Committee for Refoundation, introduced the removing of the president and all state establishments. Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri has been appointed president of the army committee, the troopers stated.

Following its independence from France in 1960, the West African nation witnessed a number of coups, particularly within the many years following its independence. Since 1991, the nation has been politically secure following the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou.

There was no official information about President Patrice Talon since gunshots had been heard across the presidential residence. The sign to state tv and public radio was minimize off after the army announcement.

Talon had been in energy since 2016 and was on account of step down subsequent April after the presidential election.

Talon's get together decide, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, was the favourite to win the election. Opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo was rejected by the electoral fee on the grounds that he didn't have ample sponsors.

In January, two associates of Talon had been sentenced to twenty years in jail for an alleged 2024 coup plot.

Final month, the nation's legislature prolonged the presidential time period of workplace from 5 to seven years, conserving the time period restrict at two.

The coup is the newest in a string of army takeovers which have rocked West Africa. Final month, a army coup in Guinea-Bissau eliminated former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election wherein each he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.