Sawt Falasteen - Benin president says situation 'under control' after coup attempt

A group of soldiers announced earlier in the day on state television that they had ousted President Patrice Talon.

That sparked a swift response from loyal army forces, air strikes from neighbouring Nigeria and the deployment of troops from other countries in the region.

Beninese military and security sources said that around a dozen soldiers had been arrested, including those behind the coup bid.

West Africa has experienced a number of coups in recent years, including in Benin's northern neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea and, most recently, Guinea-Bissau.

"I would like to assure you that the situation is completely under control and therefore invite you to calmly go about your activities starting this very evening," Talon said on state broadcaster Benin TV.

Talon is due to hand over power in April next year after 10 years in office marked by solid economic growth but also a surge in jihadist violence.

- Regional support -

Early Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR), announced on state television that they had met and decided that "Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic".

Shortly after the announcement however, a source close to Talon told AFP the president was safe, condemning the coup plotters as "a small group of people who only control the television".

"The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure," the source added.

"It's just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well."

Benin's Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said that "the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt".

The Nigerian air force struck undisclosed targets Sunday as Beninese forces conducted countercoup operations, a source in the Nigerian presidency told AFP.

West African regional bloc ECOWAS meanwhile said troops from Ghana, Ivory Coast Nigeria and Sierra Leone were being deployed to the country to "support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order".

- Situation 'under control' -

AFP correspondents had reported hearing gunfire early Sunday on the streets of Cotonou, the economic capital, while soldiers blocked access to the presidential offices and the state television building.

Elsewhere, however, residents went about their business.

"The coup was foiled, thank God. But we have to think about what to do so this kind of thing doesn't happen again," one street vendor in Cotonou, Adam Aminou, told AFP.

"We had a few scary moments," said retired teacher Jennifer Adokpeto.

"We really thought, seeing the statement being repeated on a loop on TV, that it was really a coup d'etat and that our country was going to go the way of some of our neighbours," she added.

A military source confirmed that the situation was "under control" and the coup plotters had not taken Talon's residence nor the presidential offices.

AFP could not immediately verify that, with access to those areas blocked, as were several other points in the city, including the five-star Sofitel hotel and districts housing international institutions.

There was no military presence reported at the airport and in much of the rest of the city.

Several embassies in Benin on Sunday advised their nationals to stay inside if possible.

- Condemnation -

The eight rebel soldiers who appeared on television were carrying assault rifles and wearing berets of various colours.

They proclaimed lieutenant colonel Pascal Tigri as "president" of their "refoundation" committee and justified their action by citing the "continuous deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin".

The "neglect of soldiers killed in action and their families left to fend for themselves" as well as "unjust promotions at the expense of the most deserving" were also motivations, they added.

The African Union said it "unequivocally condemns" the attempted coup and urged soldiers to return to their barracks.

Benin's political history has been marked by several coups and attempted coups since its independence from France in 1960.

Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman dubbed the "cotton king of Cotonou", came to power in 2016.

He is due to reach the end of his second term in 2026, the maximum allowed by the constitution.

Instead, the ruling party will vie for power against a so-called "moderate" opposition.

While Talon has been praised for bringing economic development to Benin, he is regularly accused by his critics of authoritarianism.

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST