Benin Interior minister says coup attempt thwarted

The situation in West African country Benin remains confusing due to the contradictory information. Benin’s Interior Minister Alassane Seidou says the country’s armed forces have thwarted an attempted coup. His statement came after soldiers appeared on state television and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon, the closure of borders and suspension of political parties. Talon first took office in 2016 and was re-elected in 2021. The 67-year-old is due to step down at the end of his second term next year, the maximum allowed by the constitution.

The events on Sunday come nearly a year after two associates of Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison following their arrest in 2024 on suspicion of plotting a coup. Olivier Boko, a businessman and longtime friend of the president, and Oswald Homeky, a former sports minister, were found guilty of “conspiracy against state security” and “corruption of a public official” by the court for financial crimes and terrorism in Cotonou. The men were convicted in January following their arrest in September 2024, after being accused of bribing the commander in charge of the president’s security to carry out a coup.

As per reports, West Africa is gradually regaining its notoriety for coup plots and military takeovers. The coup is the latest in a string of military takeovers that have rocked West Africa. Last month, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.