Image: from Undercover Liar X@AndakavaLaya
By Open Chronicle Staff Writer with Agencies
COTONOU, BENIN – A night of instability unfolded in the West African nation of Benin on Sunday as a group of soldiers claimed on state television to have successfully toppled President Patrice Talon, only for the presidency to swiftly deny the coup’s success, calling the situation a security threat being swiftly contained.
Appearing on Benin’s state television, soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri announced the dissolution of the government and declared that President Talon “is removed from office as president of the republic.” The soldiers named Mr. Tigri as the new president of the newly formed military committee.
Benin Republic Coup Attempt Foiled; Interior Minister Says a Small Group of Soldiers Tried to Destabilize the Country. No news regarding the leader Lieutenant Pascal Tigri yet. Francophone French Government is still in power. pic.twitter.com/fWkimm7YxD
— 0XPeace (@Askboume) December 7, 2025
Contradictory Accounts and Closed Borders
The announcement was quickly contradicted by a statement released later by the Benin presidency. It asserted that President Talon was safe and that the regular army was actively working to ensure the attempted takeover failed.
The contradictory reports have led to widespread confusion, as described by Al Jazeera. While the presidency maintains the putschists are a small, isolated group controlling only the television station, the coup plotters have declared all of Benin’s land, sea, and air borders closed and political parties suspended.
Earlier on Sunday, the French Embassy in Benin reported on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo,” a military barracks near the official presidential residence, indicating an overnight confrontation.
The AFP news agency quoted the Benin presidency stating, “The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.” This claim came despite the continuing public announcements made by the military faction on national TV.
Regional Instability
The apparent coup attempt in Benin follows a troubling trend in West Africa, a region that has been plagued by military takeovers in recent years. This incident occurs just two weeks after a successful coup in neighboring Guinea-Bissau.
Benin now joins a growing list of West African nations, including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, that have experienced military seizures of power, underscoring the severe political instability gripping the region. The international community is closely monitoring the fluid situation as the status of President Talon and the control of the government remain contested.