In recent days, Benin has come close to moving towards a military junta. On December 7, 2025, a group of soldiers — presenting themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” — burst into the economic capital Cotonou at dawn, invaded the area around the presidential palace and seized national television to announce the dismissal of President Patrice Talon.
Very quickly, however, mainly thanks to the forces remaining loyal to the State, supported by air and land reinforcements from one of its neighbors, the Nigerian Air Force (mobilized within the framework of the regional system of the Economic Community of West African States – ECOWAS), order was restored. The head of state affirmed, in a televised evening address, that “the situation is completely under control” and promised that “this crime will not go unpunished”. This attempted putsch comes in a regional context marked by recent coups in several neighboring countries, and as President Talon reaches the end of his second and final term. The spokesperson for the Beninese presidency, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, responds exclusively to questions from the Tangwall Campagin on these events.
The Tangwall Campagin. What exactly happened last Sunday during the attempted putsch against President Patrice Talon?
Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji. We witnessed a mutiny by a small group of soldiers, led by a lieutenant-colonel, whose plan was to depose the President of the Republic and subjugate our institutions. These soldiers led our country into very dangerous instability, even though we had built stronger institutions for nine years, notably our army. It was thanks to her that the putsch failed.
Exchanges of fire took place, particularly in the neighborhood of the presidential residence in Cotonou, capital of Benin. Have the putschists been put out of action?
The putschists’ plan was to put their superiors out of action, either in the military apparatus or in the state apparatus. Early in the morning, part of their squad entered near the head of state’s home. Fortunately, the Republican Guard had made arrangements and prevented them from carrying out their operation. Very early on, we regained control of the situation and routed their forces.
Were all the mutinous soldiers arrested and eliminated?
We went through a special situation. The mutineers’ main military base was surrounded by our army, but it was in the middle of a heavily populated area. We did not want to engage in very high-intensity combat, because the lives of our fellow citizens depended very much on it. Civilians must not be the collateral victims of these putschists. We had to operate by air. Nigeria, under ECOWAS mandate, deployed drones and planes at the end of the day. Surgical strikes made it possible to immobilize the putschists’ armored vehicles and put an end to the coup attempt. We are happy to have avoided carnage.
The attempted coup d’état does not seem to have taken hold among the Beninese population…
We see elsewhere that when mutineers or military juntas take power, they do so against the will of the people. The Beninese remained calm and courageous. We have presidential elections in a few months. Patrice Talon is not going to run again. This attempted coup d’état was a big surprise for us, we do not understand the motive. Benin is a country experiencing economic and social growth, we have made many efforts and are recognized for our stability.
The French government claims to have provided support to the Beninese authorities in the face of the putschists. Do you confirm this support from the Élysée?
The French government has worked with us within the framework of cooperation with ECOWAS. However, I want to recall that it was the Beninese army which made it possible to avoid the putsch, thanks to its professionalism. We managed to spare the lives of the civilian populations, but also that of the defeated putschist soldiers, who were disarmed.
Countries in the region, such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, are today under the control of military juntas. Are you proud to have escaped a similar fate?
For years we have been working to make Benin a prosperous country in Africa. We know that these efforts do not allow us to have only friends. Some are jealous of our success, which is the demonstration that a republican government can bring real success. Our country is strong and solid. I also want to say that alongside this attempted coup, we have seen a vast disinformation campaign on social networks, very visibly piloted from abroad. My question is this: who would have benefited from the crime?
