Beninese media outlets report that an attempted coup is unfolding in Cotonou after armed soldiers attacked the residence of President Patrice Talon in the Le Guézo area early Sunday, December 7, 2025.
According to TchadOne, the assault was led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. Tensions rose further later in the morning when Tigri appeared on national television — which the outlet says was under military control — announcing himself as the “chairman of the military re-establishment committee.”
Cotonou remains on edge, with eyewitnesses reporting heavy troop deployments around major strategic sites. As of now, President Talon and his government have not issued any official statement on the attack or the broader security situation.
The incident adds to mounting political unrest across West Africa.
TchadOne says it will provide continuous updates as the situation develops.
Talon safe as loyalist forces regain control after brief coup scare
Meanwhile, Benin’s President Patrice Talon is safe, and security forces are restoring order after a faction of soldiers claimed to have removed him from power, the presidency announced on Sunday.
In a brief statement, the presidency dismissed the soldiers’ declaration as the actions of a fringe group with limited influence.
“This is a small group of individuals who only managed to seize the television station. The regular army is steadily regaining control. Both the city and the entire country remain completely secure,” the statement said.
The clarification follows an earlier broadcast by soldiers identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” who declared that Talon had been removed from office.
The government has since described the broadcast as an isolated disruption, assuring citizens that the situation is under control.
