REGIONAL TROOPS THWART BENIN COUP ATTEMPT

A recent Benin coup attempt was swiftly foiled on Sunday, 7 December 2025, after a group of soldiers seized the national television station and declared the removal of President Patrice Talon. The attempted coup, which was led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri and lasted only a few hours, was defeated by forces loyal to the President with decisive military support from the Economic Community of West African States (hereinafter: ECOWAS) and the state of Nigeria. The Government of Benin confirmed that President Patrice Talon remains in power and announced an investigation into the matter.

Details Of The Failed Military Takeover

The crisis in Benin began in the early morning of Sunday, 7 December 2025, when the soldiers launched an attack on the residence of President Patrice Talon in Cotonou and the homes of other high-ranking military officials. The soldiers, who identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, successfully seized the state-run television and radio station and broadcast a message announcing the dissolution of the government, the suspension of the constitution, and the closure of all national borders.

The coup leaders justified their actions by citing the deteriorating security situation in northern Benin, the alleged neglect of soldiers killed in action, internal dysfunction within the armed forces and political restrictions placed upon the opposition. The soldiers involved were reportedly stationed at Camp Togbin in Fidjrossè.

Forces loyal to President Talon initiated a counteroffensive. According to the Beninese government, the mutineers were “overwhelmed by the fierce resistance of the loyal soldiers”. By Sunday afternoon, the Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou stated that the coup had been foiled.

Regional And International Intervention

The immediate and coordinated international response was instrumental in defeating the attempted coup. Upon two separate requests from the Government of Benin, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to deploy fighter jets to enter the state’s airspace. The purpose of this air support was to dislodge the coup plotters from the state television network and a military camp where they had regrouped. The Nigerian statement also confirmed the deployment of Nigerian ground forces for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority.

The Economic Community of West African States also responded rapidly by condemning the unconstitutional act and ordering the immediate deployment of elements of its standby force. This regional force included troops from the nation of Nigeria, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the Republic of Ghana, with the mission of preserving constitutional order and territorial integrity in Benin.

Aftermath And Legal Proceedings

Following the failure of the coup, President Patrice Talon addressed the nation and confirmed that the situation was “completely under control” and vowed to punish the mutineers. Authorities later confirmed that there were casualties on both sides of the government forces and the mutinous soldiers, including the death of the wife of a senior General. Two senior military officers, including the Army Chief of Staff General Abou Issa, had been held hostage by the plotters before being released.

Within days of the attempt, approximately 14 persons, including 12 active-duty soldiers, were arrested in connection with the event. The alleged leader of the coup, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri and several of his colleagues were reported to be on the run. By 16 December, approximately 30 accused persons, mostly soldiers, appeared before a special prosecutor and were subsequently placed in pre-trial detention on charges including “treason,” “murder” and “endangering state security”. In the days following the event, the authorities also arrested political figures and issued an international arrest warrant for a Pan-Africanist and anti-European and neo-European states activist.

Concluding Outlook

The rapid and effective intervention by ECOWAS and the military forces of the nation of Nigeria marks a significant procedural development for the regional bloc. The swift action in the face of the Benin coup attempt contrasts with the ECOWAS’s difficulties in reversing recent military takeovers in other West African states, such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which subsequently withdrew from the organisation.

This successful intervention serves as a concrete demonstration of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, underscoring the regional determination to uphold constitutional order in the face of unconstitutional changes of government. The deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to secure Benin indicates a potential reassertion of the bloc’s capacity to enforce its regional mandates and could be perceived as a deterrent to future military adventurism within West Africa. This decisive action, while strengthening the ECOWAS’s regional stature, focuses the political outlook on the need for continued vigilance against both external security threats and internal governance challenges that often precede military interventions.