Benin President Patrice Talon has expressed gratitude to military leaders for their role in thwarting an attempted coup in the country. Following the incident, he vowed that those involved in the uprising would face justice.
On Sunday morning, a faction of soldiers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, seized control of the state television station and declared the government dissolved. However, the coup attempt was quickly quelled, according to the Interior Minister.
Addressing the nation later that day, Talon praised the commitment of the army and its leaders in defending the republic. “Thanks to their dedication, we regained our positions and eliminated the last resistance from the insurgents. This betrayal will not go unpunished,” he stated. He also extended his condolences to victims affected by the situation and promised efforts to recover those held by the fleeing soldiers, although he did not disclose specific casualty figures.
Local media reported that thirteen soldiers have been arrested, though it remains uncertain if the coup’s alleged leader, Lt Col Pascal Tigri, is among them. While gunfire was noted and military patrols were observed in parts of Cotonou, the city has returned to relative calm. The signal for state television and public radio, which had been disrupted, has since been restored.
The coup attempt adds to a recent wave of military interventions in West Africa, a region that saw a similar takeover in Guinea-Bissau last month. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced the deployment of troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana to assist Benin’s military in maintaining constitutional order. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria commended his country’s forces for their swift action in supporting the restoration of the Beninese government.
Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Benin has experienced numerous coups but has remained relatively stable since 1991. Talon, who has been in power since 2016, is set to step down after the upcoming presidential election, where former Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is favored to succeed him after the rejection of opposition candidate Renaud Agbodjo by the electoral commission.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS.COM
