On December 7th, 2025, a small group of soldiers in the Republic of Benin seized the state broadcaster and declared that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office and suspended the constitution.
The group, calling itself the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” named Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as head of the new military leadership and urged citizens to support a “new direction” for the country.
Witnesses in Cotonou described gunfire near government buildings and a sudden shutdown of radio and television broadcasts.
Within hours, forces loyal to the Beninese government moved in, regained control of the broadcaster, and arrested several soldiers, about 14 according to official statements.
Reports indicate Tigri escaped and remains at large, reportedly seeking refuge in neighbouring Togo.
Almost immediately, Nigeria – Benin’s eastern neighbour – intervened after Talon appealed for assistance.
According to military sources, Nigerian fighter jets entered Benin’s airspace and troops were mobilised to support efforts to retake the seized television station and stabilise the situation.
Two days after, on December 9th, Nigeria’s Senate formally approved the deployment of Nigerian troops to Benin for what was described as a peace mission.
The approval legitimised the earlier intervention under constitutional provisions that allow emergency deployments with subsequent legislative consent. Senators argued that preventing a neighbouring democracy from collapsing was a duty Nigeria owed to its region.
The involvement of Nigeria, combined with solidarity from regional partners under the ECOWAS framework, suggests that this is not only about restoring order in Benin but also about deterring unconstitutional takeovers in West Africa.
In retrospect, the event exposed the political climate inside Benin.
With a presidential election due in April 2026, and President Talon’s term ending, his party’s choice of former finance minister Romuald Wadagni has been criticised, while opposition figure Renaud Agbodjo was barred. ECOWAS and the African Union condemned the coup and backed Benin’s democracy.
Even now, with government forces back in control, several plotters remain at large. As the dust settles, the country must confront not only the immediate aftermath but also the structural issues that allowed such an attempt to unfold.
Joseph Jegede
Follow us on:
