By Ayo Kehinde
The Benin Republic Government has announced that the country’s armed forces successfully foiled a coup attempt by a group of soldiers who sought to “destabilize the state” on Sunday.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, in a statement on national television, said the mutiny was aimed at undermining the state and its institutions.
“A small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the goal of destabilizing the state and its institutions. In response, the armed forces of Benin, true to their oath, retained control and foiled the manoeuvre,” Seidou said.
THISAGE had earlier reported that a group calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation (Comité militaire pour la refondation), led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, announced on state television that President Patrice Talon had been “removed from office” and that all state institutions were dissolved. Tigri also declared himself president of the military committee.
The French Embassy confirmed on social media that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence in Cotonou, just south of the capital, Porto Novo.
However, Wilfried Houngbedji, government spokesman, assured that President Talon was safe.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. Cotonou and the country are completely secure. It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well,” he said.
President Talon, 67, is scheduled to step down next year after completing his second term, with elections planned for April.
Meanwhile, the French and Russian embassies have urged their citizens to stay indoors, while the United States advised its nationals to avoid Cotonou, particularly the area around the presidential compound.
The attempted coup comes just over a week after Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown as president of Guinea-Bissau.
