Soldiers claim to seize power in Benin, suspend constitution

Takeover announced on state TV ahead of April presidential election; ninth coup region since 2020

A group of soldiers in the West African nation of Benin claimed on national television to have seized power on Sunday, though the government said forces loyal to President Patrice Talon were working to foil the coup plot.

The move was latest threat to democratic norms in the region, coming after a coup in Guinea-Bissau last month marked the ninth in West and Central Africa since 2020.

At least eight soldiers, several wearing helmets, went on state television to announce that a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal had taken over and was dissolving national institutions, suspending the constitution and closing air, land and maritime borders.

"The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice and work prevail," said a statement read by one of the soldiers. "The constitution is suspended. All institutions are dissolved (and) political party activities suspended until further notice," the soldiers said.

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Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari has said that "a small group" of soldiers had attempted to overthrow the government but that forces loyal to Talon were working to restore order. "There is an attempt but the situation is under control. A large part of the army is still loyalist and we are taking over the situation," he said.

He said the coup plotters only had control of state TV, and the signal was cut later Sunday morning.

Gunfire could also be heard in several neighbourhoods of Cotonou, the country's largest city and economic hub, as residents were trying to make their way to church early Sunday morning.

The French embassy said on Facebook that gunfire had been reported near Talon's residence in Cotonou and urged citizens to stay at home.

The apparent coup came as Benin was preparing for a presidential election in April that would mark the end of the tenure of incumbent Talon, in power since 2016.

Benin’s ruling coalition had nominated Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni to be its candidate, positioning a man seen as a key architect of its economic policies to pursue the administration’s current reform agenda if elected. Talon's decision to step down after two terms was a rare move in the West and Central Africa region where democratic norms are increasingly under pressure.