Benin manhunt for coup plotters holding hostages

Benin’s president says the attempted coup on Sunday is under control as security forces hunt down the mutinous soldiers who seized the national TV studio and held hostages.

Lt Col Pascal Tigri led the rebels who appeared on state television at about 07:00 GMT, announcing they had taken power. Gunfire was heard near the presidential palace before President Patrice Talon declared the situation “totally under control”.

According to a statement from the Nigerian Air Force, fighter jets from Lagos intervened at Benin’s request, “dislodging the coup plotters from the national TV station and a military camp”. Flight‑tracking data later showed three Nigerian aircraft entered Benin’s airspace before returning home.

In a national address, the 67‑year‑old president said loyalist forces had “cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers” and urged citizens to go about their business peacefully.

Benin government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji told Reuters that fourteen people had been arrested, including twelve who stormed the TV station, among them a previously sacked soldier. The president expressed condolences to “the victims of this senseless adventure and to those still held by fleeing mutineers”.

The coup comes amid a spate of military takeovers in West Africa, raising concerns in Accra. Ghana’s ECOWAS chair, Foreign Minister Nana Akufo‑Addo, condemned the attempt and called for “regional unity to protect democracy”. Ghanaian traders in Cotonou were advised by the Ghana High Commission to remain indoors until security forces restore order.

While Benin has been praised for relative stability, President Talon has faced criticism for curbing dissent and for economic measures such as cuts to health care and tax hikes. Analysts note that uncertainty could affect Benin’s cotton exports, a commodity also tied to Ghana’s textile industry.

Regional bodies including ECOWAS and the African Union have both condemned the mutiny. The situation remains fluid, with authorities monitoring for any further unrest and the whereabouts of Lt Col Tigri still unknown.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE