Zim GBC News | International Desk
COTONOU – Benin’s government has announced the failure of an attempted military coup, following hours of uncertainty that prompted a swift but temporary military surveillance deployment from neighbouring Nigeria.
The crisis began early Sunday when a group of soldiers, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, announced on national broadcaster they had seized power, dissolved the government, and suspended the constitution. Gunfire was reported near the presidential residence in the commercial capital, Cotonou.
In a rapid response, Nigeria deployed fighter aircraft from Lagos on what security officials termed a “precautionary” surveillance mission. Nigeria shares a long and porous border with Benin and views stability in its neighbour as a direct national security concern.
“This was a strategic surveillance mission, not an offensive operation,” a Nigerian military source explained.
“Now that the situation in Cotonou has stabilised, the aircraft have returned to base.”
The attempted takeover unravelled as loyalist forces reasserted control. Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, addressed the nation on television to confirm the coup had been foiled.
“Early on Sunday morning, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions,” Seidou stated.
“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.”
A presidential adviser confirmed to the BBC that President Patrice Talon was safe. The French embassy reported its nationals had sheltered the president during the incident.
The coup plotters had criticised Talon’s governance, but the attempt appeared to garner little public support. Talon, a 67-year-old businessman, is due to step down next year after his second term, having previously pledged not to seek a third term.
The regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), swiftly condemned the attempted coup, reiterating its stance against unconstitutional changes of government.
This incident in Benin, a nation traditionally seen as a stable democracy in West Africa, follows a recent coup in Guinea-Bissau and a series of military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in recent years. The instability has heightened security concerns across the Sahel region.
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