On the morning of December 7, 2025, Benin awoke to the sound of gunfire and the jarring announcement that its government had been dissolved. A group of soldiers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, appeared on state television to declare the removal of President Patrice Talon, the suspension of the constitution, and the closure of all borders. The group, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, claimed to have seized power, plunging the West African nation into a state of uncertainty that echoed the turbulent coups recently witnessed across the region.
But by midday, Benin’s Interior Minister Alassane Seidou took to Facebook to reassure the nation that the attempted coup had been “foiled.” In his video message, Seidou stated, “In the early morning of Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilizing the state and its institutions. Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic.” According to Reuters, government officials emphasized that the situation was under control and urged citizens to “go about their business as usual.”
The coup attempt unfolded rapidly. At least eight soldiers, several in helmets, commandeered the national broadcaster, announcing the dissolution of all state institutions and the suspension of political parties. They claimed their actions were prompted by deteriorating security in northern Benin and the government’s “disregard and neglect of our fallen brothers-in-arms.” This reference was a stark reminder of the deadly attack in April 2025, when 54 Beninese soldiers were killed by an Al Qaeda affiliate—a tragedy that had shaken the nation’s sense of security.
Gunfire rattled several neighborhoods of Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, as residents made their way to church that morning, according to Reuters. The French embassy, noting reports of shooting near President Talon’s residence, advised its citizens to stay indoors. The signal to state television and public radio was cut off following the soldiers’ announcement, adding to the confusion and anxiety that gripped the capital.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari told Reuters that only a small group of soldiers participated in the coup, and loyalist forces were swiftly working to restore order. The government’s message was clear: the mutiny did not have widespread support within the military. “Most soldiers back President Talon,” Bakari affirmed, underscoring the loyalty of the armed forces to the incumbent administration.
As the day wore on, the signals for state TV and radio were restored, and the government’s control reasserted. There was, however, no official news about President Talon’s whereabouts since the gunshots were reported around his residence. The uncertainty over his safety lingered, though government officials maintained that the situation was stable.
The attempted coup came at a politically sensitive time for Benin. President Talon, who has been in power since 2016, was due to step down in April 2026 after the upcoming presidential election. His party’s chosen successor, former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, was widely considered the favorite to win, while the main opposition candidate, Renaud Agbodjo, had been rejected by the electoral commission for lacking sufficient sponsors. Just a month earlier, Benin’s legislature had passed a controversial constitutional amendment extending the presidential term from five to seven years, though the two-term limit was retained. Critics, as reported by Reuters, saw this as a power grab by the ruling coalition.
The attempted coup in Benin was not an isolated incident. In fact, it was the latest in a troubling string of military takeovers that have shaken West Africa in recent years. Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and, most recently, Guinea-Bissau have all experienced coups that undermined democratic rule. In November 2025, Guinea-Bissau’s president Umaro Embalo was ousted following a contested election, further highlighting the region’s fragility.
The international community responded swiftly to the events in Benin. The regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), issued a strong condemnation of the attempted coup. “ECOWAS strongly condemns this unconstitutional move that represents a subversion of the will of the people of Benin. ECOWAS will support the Government and the people in all forms necessary to defend the Constitution and the territorial integrity of Benin,” the bloc stated, as reported by the Associated Press. The African Union echoed this sentiment, with Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Yousouf declaring that “any form of military interference in political processes constitutes a grave violation of the fundamental principles and values of the African Union.”
Benin’s own history is marked by a series of coups following its independence from France in 1960. The decades that followed saw repeated military interventions until 1991, when the country entered a period of relative political stability under the two-decade rule of Marxist-Leninist Mathieu Kérékou. Since then, Benin had been considered one of the more stable democracies in the region—until recent years, when political tensions and security threats began to mount.
In January 2025, two associates of President Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison for an alleged 2024 coup plot, a sign of the rising political stakes and deepening mistrust within the country’s elite. The government has also faced mounting criticism over its handling of security in the north, where jihadist attacks have spilled over from neighboring countries, challenging the state’s authority and further straining the armed forces.
As news of the failed coup spread, life in Cotonou gradually returned to normal. Traffic resumed at major intersections, and the government’s call for calm appeared to take hold. Still, the events of December 7 served as a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic institutions in Benin and across West Africa. The attempted coup may have been foiled, but the underlying tensions—political, social, and security-related—remain unresolved.
With the presidential election looming in April 2026, the coming months will test Benin’s resilience. The international community, regional partners, and Benin’s own citizens will be watching closely to see whether the country can navigate these challenges and preserve the hard-won gains of the past three decades. For now, the government’s message is one of reassurance, but the echoes of gunfire in Cotonou are unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.
