Military officers have taken control of the government in Benin Republic, marking another shift toward military rule in West Africa.
The intervention was announced on Sunday when a group of soldiers appeared on the country’s state-owned television to declare that they had assumed authority.
Okay News reports that the group identified itself as the Military Committee for Refoundation.
During the broadcast, the officers said the president and all political officeholders had been removed from power. They also confirmed that all state institutions had been dissolved, placing the entire structure of government under military control.
Before the takeover, Patrice Talon, who has led Benin Republic since 2016, had stated he would leave office in April 2026 after the next presidential election. His presidency has faced rising tensions over the past few years.
In September 2024, Djimon Tevoedjre, the commander of the republican guard and head of Talon’s security, was arrested after authorities linked him to an attempted coup. That incident had already raised questions about internal stability around the presidency.
Benin Republic now joins a growing list of West African countries governed by military juntas. Just last month, Guinea-Bissau experienced its own takeover after military officers moved to capture power amid a disputed election.
The crisis escalated when President Umaro Embaló, who was seeking re-election, and his main challenger Fernando Dias both claimed victory even though the electoral commission had not released official results.
Across the region, countries still under military rule include Burkina Faso since 2022, Guinea since 2021, Mali since 2020, and Niger since 2023.
