Coup Attempt in Benin: Hostages Taken as Security Forces Mobilize

Fri Jan 16 2026 05:25:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A violent coup attempt in Benin has triggered a massive manhunt for soldiers who declared a takeover on national television, leading to hostages being taken. President Patrice Talon asserts that the situation is under control.

In a dramatic turn of events, Benin faced a coup attempt early Sunday, with soldiers taking over national television to announce their seizure of power. President Patrice Talon reported that hostages had been taken, prompting swift action from security forces. Support from Nigeria's military was pivotal in thwarting the coup, leading to explosions in the capital, Cotonou. The situation remains volatile, raising concerns about regional stability following a series of recent coups in West Africa.

Security forces in Benin are searching for the soldiers who tried to seize power on Sunday morning, with President Patrice Talon claiming that they have taken an unknown number of hostages.

The coup plotters appeared on state TV to announce their takeover, and gunfire was reported near the presidential residence.

However, President Talon later insisted that the situation was totally under control in the West African nation.

Nigeria provided crucial assistance in thwarting the mutiny, deploying fighter jets to help dislodge the coup plotters from both the National TV and a military camp upon Benin's request.

By Sunday afternoon, massive explosions were heard in Cotonou, Benin's largest city, believed to be the result of an air strike. Prior to this, flight-tracking data indicated that three aircraft had crossed into Benin's airspace from Nigeria before returning home. The extent of the damage caused by these explosions remains unclear.

Government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji announced that 14 individuals have been arrested in connection with the attempted coup, with reports suggesting that 12 of the detained were involved in storming the national TV station, including a former soldier who had been dismissed.

Leading the coup effort is Lt Col Pascal Tigri, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. President Talon declared that loyalist forces had defeated the mutineers, affirming on national television that they had cleared all pockets of resistance.

Expressing condolences to victims and their families, Talon reassured the public that the situation was under control, inviting citizens to continue with their daily lives peacefully.

As fears grow regarding security in West Africa, with a series of coups occurring in nearby nations, Benin—once regarded as one of Africa's stable democracies—is now facing unprecedented challenges to its governance. Accusations against President Talon include a clampdown on dissent and mismanagement of national security, particularly regarding jihadist insurgencies in the north.

Notably, the soldiers claimed they were motivated by discontent over the government's neglect of military personnel and their families affected by the ongoing violence near the borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, signaling a deeper crisis in the region's governance.

Global powers like the US, France, and Russia have advised their citizens in the region to stay indoors or avoid areas of conflict, as tensions continue to rise amidst a troubling backdrop of unstable governance across West Africa.