Porto-Novo, December 7 – On Sunday, a group of soldiers in the West African country of Benin claimed to have carried out a coup. The group, calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), announced on government television that they had decided to remove President Patrice Talon from office.
According to reports cited by The Guardian NG, Lieutenant Colonel Tigré Pascal and a group of soldiers declared the coup and claimed to have ousted the current President Patrice Talon from power in the Republic of Benin.
On Sunday, a soldier read a statement saying, “The army is fully prepared to offer the people of Benin a new hope, where brotherhood, justice, and the victory of your hard work will prevail.” Alongside the soldier were about half a dozen others, many wearing helmets.
This announcement comes just months after two coups took place in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Benin shares its northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, both countries currently under military control.
The declaration was made while Benin was preparing for presidential elections scheduled for April, which would mark the end of Patrice Talon’s term, who has been in power since 2016.
The President’s office stated that he is safe and that the majority of the military remains loyal to him. Foreign Minister Olusegun Adaji Bakri said that the rebels only took control of national television briefly, which was off air for a few minutes, but the situation is under control.
Benin’s political history has been marked by several coups and attempts at military takeovers.
Patrice Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman known as the “Cotton King” of Cotonou, came to power in 2016. He has been praised for driving economic growth in Benin, though critics often accuse him of authoritarian tendencies.
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