At least 13 soldiers have been arrested in Benin following an attempted coup that briefly threw the West African nation into uncertainty on Sunday, PLATFORM TIMES reports.
Security and military insiders told AFP that those arrested include the suspected masterminds of the failed operation. All the detainees are serving military personnel except one retired officer, sources said.
The arrests came hours after a group of soldiers appeared on state television announcing that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office.
The soldiers, who identified themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), claimed they met and resolved that Talon was no longer president.
Their broadcast triggered tension in Cotonou, where gunfire was reported around Camp Guezo near the presidential residence.
The French Embassy later confirmed the incident on X, urging its nationals to stay indoors.
However, the presidency swiftly dismissed the rebels’ announcement, insisting that the 10-year incumbent was safe and that loyal forces were quelling the uprising.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” an official in Talon’s entourage told AFP.
The attempted takeover comes barely months before Talon is expected to step down in April, raising fresh concerns in a country once regarded as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.
Benin has witnessed several coups and attempted coups since independence, though the country has enjoyed relative stability in recent decades—until Sunday’s sudden flare-up.
Details about the motives of the arrested soldiers remain unclear as security operatives continue combing strategic locations in search of possible accomplices.
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