Benin military foils attempted coup, arrests 13 suspects
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Dec 7, 2025 10:53
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By Johnson Arua
Benin Republic’s military has announced the arrest of about a dozen soldiers, including the alleged masterminds of Sunday’s failed coup attempt.
Authorities confirmed that 13 individuals are currently in custody, 12 serving soldiers and one former member of the armed forces.
The arrests followed an incident on Sunday morning when a group of military officers appeared on Benin’s national television, declaring that they had overthrown President Patrice Talon and dissolved all state institutions.
The officers, who referred to themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” claimed they had seized control of the government.
But the presidency quickly dismissed the declaration, insisting that President Talon remained safe and that loyal security forces were firmly in charge. It described the episode as the action of a fringe group with no real influence.
“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the presidency said in a statement.
