Coup Attempt Collapses in Benin as Loyalist Forces Crush Rebel Soldiers
Benin’s Government on Sunday December 7, 2025, announced that an attempted Military Coup had been decisively foiled, after loyal troops overpowered a small group of renegade Soldiers who briefly seized the National Television Station and claimed to have taken control of the Country.
The failed takeover began in the early hours when mutinous soldiers stormed the State Broadcaster in Cotonou, forced Journalists off air and issued a dramatic televised statement declaring that President Patrice Talon had been removed from office. They also announced the suspension of the constitution and dissolution of State Institutions, moves that sent shockwaves across the capital.
But the rebellion unraveled within hours.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, speaking in a National address, confirmed that the uprising had been “completely neutralised”, describing the plotters as a “small, isolated group” acting without wider military support. He commended loyalist units for responding swiftly and restoring control of key installations before the situation could escalate.
Security sources said loyal troops retook the broadcaster with minimal confrontation, secured the premises, and freed staff who had been held during the forced announcement. The President was reported safe throughout the incident, and officials stressed that at no point did the rebels gain access to major myilitary or strategic sites.
By midday, normalcy had returned across Cotonou, though heavily armed security forces remained stationed around Government buildings, the airport and major road intersections as a precaution. Residents who had briefly sheltered indoors resumed daily activities as the Government urged calm.
The failed coup attempt comes as Benin navigates a politically sensitive period ahead of President Talon’s expected exit from office next year. Analysts note that the speed of the collapse suggests the rebels lacked both planning and military backing, distinguishing the attempt from successful coups that have recently swept parts of West Africa.
International bodies, including regional partners, issued condemnations and called for stability, praising the swift action of loyalist troops.
Authorities say arrests have begun and that an investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the plot. The Government insists that constitutional order remains firm and that the republic was “never in danger of falling.”
