Soldiers in Benin Republic announced on Sunday that they have taken control of the government and dissolved all state institutions.
The soldiers made the announcement on national television.
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They called themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation. They said President Patrice Talon and all other political leaders had been removed from office.
President Talon has been in power since 2016. He had earlier promised to leave office in April 2026 after the next presidential election.
This takeover comes after a similar incident in September 2024, when Djimon Tevoedjre, the commander of the Republican Guard and the president’s security chief, was arrested for an alleged attempted coup.
With this latest development, Benin Republic has joined the growing list of West African countries now under military rule.
Just last month, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau also took over the government after a disputed election. Both President Umaro Embaló, who wanted a second term, and his opponent Fernando Dias declared themselves winners before the election commission released the official results.
Other West African countries currently controlled by the military include Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.