File image.
A coup d’état was foiled in Benin on December 7, with signs of indirect intervention by France. The poor planning of the coup attempt suggests that it may have been a trap for dissatisfied officers. Still, the attempt highlighted the growing instability in the former French colony.
The Coup Attempt
The coup attempt began in the early hours of December 7, with troops from the country’s National Guard attacking the residence of President Patrice Talon in the port city of Cotonou. The troops quickly seized the national broadcaster, and the home of Major General Abou Issa, the army chief of staff.
Eight of the troops declared on state television that Talon had been “removed from office as president of the republic”. They also announced the suspension of the constitution and state institutions, and identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation [French: Comité Militaire pour la Refondation] (CMR) headed by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri.
The troops cited multiple reasons for staging the coup, such as Talon’s management of the country, favoritism in the military, neglect for soldiers killed while under duty and their relatives, and the deteriorating security situation in the north of the country, cuts to healthcare, increased taxes and restrictions on political activity. Several journalists working at the station were held hostage. After the announcement, the signal to state television and public radio was shut off, but returned later
In a follow up announcement, the CMR said that all borders were closed, and that all political parties in the country were suspended.
Clashes raged around the residence of Talon and another part of Cotonou as these announcements were being made, with helicopters even spotted over the city.
A presidential adviser later told the BBC that Talon was at the French embassy. Work to quell the coup began quickly, with foreign minister, Shegun Adjadi Bakari, telling Reuters that “the situation is under control”, and that “a large part of the army and the national guard are still loyal to the president and are controlling the situation.”
Soon after, the minister of finance Romuald Wadagni was quoted by local media as saying that the situation was “under control.”
Interior minister, Alassane Seidou, announced via Facebook video that the coup had been “foiled”. Reports that emerged after suggested that at least 14 people were arrested, including 12 active-duty troops and another who was dismissed. Twelve suspects are believed to have participated in the attack on state television. Meanwhile, Tigri and several others appeared to have fled.
In the afternoon, the Economic Community of West African States (ECWAS), a regional political and economic union of twelve countries of West Africa, became involved.
The union announced the deployment of Nigerian, Sierra Leonean, Ivorian, and Ghanaian soldiers to aid the Beninese government in repelling the coup. The Nigerian Air Force was deployed to Cotonou to dislodge the putschists, where airstrikes upon Togbin military camp were reported.
The French Involvement
All facts indicate that France played a key role in foiling the coup attempt, going as far as hiding its ally Talon in its embassy.
The coverage of French media, widely influential in Benin, was clearly in favor of the government. For example, Seidou’s announcements, including the coup foiling, were widely covered by outlets such as France 24, which broadcast his statements and provided live analysis.
Even the intervention of ECWAS was likely influenced, if not outright directed, by France. In the same statement condemning the coup attempt, Paris voiced its support for the intervention.
French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, emphasizing “anti-terrorism solidarity” in the region.
And while the presence of the French military in Benin is very limited in scale, at least officially, it still provided support to the government, mainly via the private contractor CAE Aviation. Tracking data revealed that a Beechcraft 350 aircraft of the company modified for gathering intelligence was flying over Cotonou during the coup attempt.
Click to see full-size image. (Flightradar24/X)
The French intelligence, namely the DGSE [French: Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure], may have even played a larger role, especially when it comes to the protection of Talon which was essential for foiling the coup attempt.
The quick reaction may be also an indication that the intelligence service had provided the government in Benin with early information about the coup attempt.
The Past of Patrice Talon
This was not the first time France has scrambled to protect Talon, not only from his rivals in Benin but even from the French legal system.
Known as the “King of Cotton” for his dominance in the sector, Talon built a fortune estimated at $400 million by 2015 through companies like Société de Distribution Inter-Continentale (SDI) and Benin Control, which handled cotton inputs, ginning, and port imports in Cotonou.
The businessman financed former President Thomas Boni Yayi’s campaigns in 2006 and 2011 but fell out amid corruption accusations, leading to his exile in France.
Accused of embezzling €18 million in taxes and plotting to poison Yayi, Talon was briefly arrested in France before being released on parole. Paris rejected extraditing him in 2013. His 2014 pardon was secured via mediation by former Senegalese President Abdou Diouf, at the initiative of then-French President François Hollande, allowing his return and political entry.
Talon won the 2016 election, promising economic modernization, and more notably improved ties with France. In 2021, he was re-elected amid opposition boycotts. Since then, critics have decried authoritarianism, with jailed opponents and eroded democratic norms.
Last January, two of Talon’s associates were sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly plotting a coup against him in 2024.
By constitution, Talon is due to leave office following elections scheduled next year. However, his tight grip on power and close ties with France suggest that he could find a way to stay in power.
The Reality
While the coup attempt was clearly poorly planned, other factors contributed to its failure, most notable of which is the intervention of France and ECWAS.
The reaction from the government of Benin and its allies was swift and decisive, which suggests prior knowledge of the coup plan. Tigri and his comrades may have been allowed to proceed to make the attempt in order to uproot any opposition to Talon within the army. This would be very important if the president is planning to overwrite the constitution to stay in power, in a way or another, beyond the upcoming elections.
It is also possible that the worsening situation in Benin has forced Tigri and his comrades to make the attempt despite their limited resources.
Recent years saw a series of coups in former French colonies in Africa, with French troops getting expelled from countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
France’s influence declined sharply as a result of these coups and most of these countries ended up pivoting to Russia and China, eroding “Françafrique” ties and economic access for French firms.
This anti-French sentiment is not surprising, however. Decades of cooperation with Paris left many countries in Africa lagging behind on all levels. What happened in Benin on December 7 was likely just another episode of this growing trend in the continent.
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frança é um país pária nazista
ual southfront já com 700 dólares no dia 08 de dezembro! southfront é rica hehe