Benin Coup Attempt Crushed in Hours After Soldiers Seize State TV and Declare President Talon Overthrown – Shocking Footage Goes Viral

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In the early hours of Sunday morning, a group of armed soldiers stormed Benin’s state television headquarters and delivered a stunning live announcement: President Patrice Talon’s government had fallen.

Speaking calmly in front of the national flag and flanked by heavily armed troops, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri declared himself spokesman for the newly formed Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR).

Reading from a prepared statement, he announced the immediate dissolution of the presidency, parliament, and constitutional court, the suspension of the constitution, and the closure of all land and air borders.

“The Beninese people can no longer tolerate corruption, electoral fraud, and the systematic destruction of our democracy,” Tigri said.

“The regime of Patrice Talon has ended as of this moment.”

The broadcast, which began shortly after 2 a.m. local time, lasted roughly 20 minutes before the signal abruptly cut to static.

Reports of gunfire had already erupted near the presidential palace in Porto-Novo and at the main military barracks in Cotonou.

Armored vehicles rolled through the streets of the economic capital, and the French Embassy issued an urgent alert urging all citizens to remain indoors.

Yet within hours, the rebellion collapsed.

By 9:30 a.m., elite units loyal to President Talon had retaken the television station with no significant fighting. State broadcasting resumed with Interior Minister Alassane Seidou addressing the nation.

“A small group of soldiers attempted a mutiny. Their action has been neutralised. President Talon is safe and the government is in full control,” he said.

Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari later confirmed that the plotters had succeeded only in briefly occupying the TV studios and that the overwhelming majority of the armed forces remained loyal.

ECOWAS, the African Union, and neighboring countries quickly condemned the attempted coup and pledged support for Benin’s constitutional order.

This is the second known attempt to topple President Talon in just over a year, following a foiled plot in September 2024.

Despite rising political tensions and accusations of democratic backsliding, Benin had been considered one of West Africa’s more stable democracies since the return to civilian rule in 1991.

Authorities announced that several plotters had been arrested and investigations were underway.

By Sunday afternoon, traffic flowed normally in Cotonou, markets reopened, and no curfew was imposed.

Clips of the soldiers’ dramatic announcement spread rapidly across WhatsApp, TikTok, and X before most platforms removed them for violating policies on incitement.

For millions across the region, the footage evoked memories of the classic military takeovers that once dominated African airwaves.

For now, the crisis appears over almost as quickly as it began. But in a region still reeling from successful coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, today’s events serve as another stark reminder that democratic gains remain fragile.