Cotonou, Benin — December 7, 2025 The government of Benin says it has foiled an attempted coup after a group of soldiers stormed the national broadcaster on Sunday morning, declared the removal of President Patrice Talon, and announced the dissolution of all state institutions. According to the Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, the mutiny was carried out by a “small faction” of soldiers who were quickly overwhelmed by loyalist forces. “The situation is under control,” Seidou said, adding that President Talon is “safe and in a secure location.” The coup plotters, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), had used state television to announce that they had taken power. Their televised statement claimed that the constitution was suspended, political parties dissolved, borders closed, and Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri appointed as the new head of state. Moments later, the station’s signal was cut, plunging viewers into confusion. Government sources say several of the ...
Benin Republic was thrown into uncertainty on Sunday after a group of soldiers appeared on state television to announce that they had overthrown President Patrice Talon and dissolved all government institutions. The soldiers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), declared that they had taken control of the country, citing the need to “refound the nation” and restore order. The televised announcement came shortly after heavy gunfire was reported near the presidential residence in Cotonou. According to eyewitnesses, armed units breached the perimeter of the president’s home in what security sources described as a coordinated assault. As of press time, the whereabouts of President Talon remain unknown, and neither the presidency nor the army’s high command has issued an official response. The self-declared junta named Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri as the head of the transitional authority. In their broadcast, the officers announced the suspension of the co...