Benin thwarts coup attempt

Benin has thwarted a coup attempt with the help of neighbouring countries, with the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) condemning the move, notes Legalbrief. Benin's President appeared on television to reassure citizens that the situation was now 'totally under control' following an attempted coup earlier in the day, reports BBC News. 'I would like to commend the sense of duty demonstrated by our army and its leaders, who have remained... loyal to the nation,' said Patrice Talon. The government said it had thwarted the mutiny hours after a group of soldiers declared a takeover on national television. Later in the afternoon, huge explosions were heard in Cotonou, Benin's largest city and seat of government. They were thought to have been the result of an air strike. The soldiers appeared on state TV early on Sunday morning to say they were suspending the Constitution. There have been a series of coups in West Africa before Sunday's thwarted attempt in Benin, heightening fears that the security of the region could worsen. Benin, a former French colony, has been regarded as one of Africa's more stable democracies.

But Talon has faced accusations of suppressing criticism of his policies. The nation is one of the continent's largest cotton producers, but ranks among the world's poorest countries. Nigeria, Benin's large neighbour to the east, has described the coup attempt as a 'direct assault on democracy'. 'This commitment and mobilisation enabled us to defeat these opportunists and avert disaster for our country. This treachery will not go unpunished' The 67-year-old President said in his address that loyalist forces had 'cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers'. Earlier, government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji told Reuters that 14 people had been arrested in connection with the attempted coup. A journalist in Benin told BBC News that, of those reportedly arrested, 12 are believed to have stormed the offices of the national TV station - including a soldier who had previously been sacked. The rebel soldiers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, justified their actions by criticising Talon's management of the country, complaining first about his handling of the 'continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin'. Benin's army has suffered loses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards. The rebels also hit out at cuts in health care, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, and taxes rises, as well as curbs on political activities. Talon, who is regarded as a close ally of the West, is due to step down next year after completing his second term in office, with elections scheduled for April. A businessman known as the 'king of cotton', he first came to power in 2016. He promised not to seek a third term, despite Benin's current two-term limit for presidencies, and has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.

Full BBC News report

West African troops were deployed to Benin on Sunday after the 'unsuccessful coup attempt, reports The Guardian. Ecowas – West Africa’s regional bloc – said it had ordered the immediate deployment of elements of its standby force to the country, which has a population of about 14.5m. Soldiers from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Sierra Leone were being sent to 'support the government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin', the bloc said. Nigeria’s air force also struck targets in Benin, the Nigerian President’s office confirmed. Responding to two requests from Benin’s Government, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, 'ordered Nigerian air force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the national TV and a military camp where they had regrouped,' his office said.

Full report in The Guardian

The attempted coup was the latest threat to democratic rule in the region, where militaries have in recent years seized power in Benin’s neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as in Mali, Guinea and, last month, Guinea-Bissau, reports Al Jazeera. AU chairperson Mahmoud Ali Yousouf said the bloc 'strongly and unequivocally condemns' the attempted coup. His statement also reaffirmed the AU’s support for Talon. The apparent coup attempt 'does not come as a surprise to anyone', Adama Gaye, a former director of communications at Ecowas, said. He stated that there has been a lot of political tension in the country, with many opposition members imprisoned. Talon had managed to 'eliminate key people in the opposition party, including former President Boni Yayi', Gaye said.

Full Al Jazeera report