Soldiers in Benin have announced on national television that they have removed President Patrice Talon from office and taken control of the government.
In their address to the nation, they also declared the suspension of the constitution and the closure of both land borders and the country’s airspace, as reported by the local La Nouvelle Tribune publication.
According to the soldiers’ statement, Lieutenant-Colonel Tigri Pascal will head a newly formed military transition council.
Talon, 67, was scheduled to leave office next year after serving two terms, with presidential elections planned for April. The businessman, often referred to as the "king of cotton", first won the presidency in 2016. He had pledged not to pursue a third term and had already named his successor.
News of a potential coup in Benin follows just over a week after the ousting of Umaro Sissoco Embaló in neighbouring Guinea-Bissau.
West Africa has faced a wave of military takeovers in recent years, including coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger. The frequency has raised concerns about the stability of the region, much of which is made up of former French colonies. Since 1990, a striking 78% of the 27 coups in sub-Saharan Africa have occurred in Francophone states, as noted in a BBC article.
By Nazrin Sadigova
