Benin launches manhunt after failed coup as Nigeria, ECOWAS deploy troops

Benin Republic has launched a manhunt for soldiers linked to Sunday’s failed coup attempt, even as regional powers move swiftly to shore up the country’s stability. All hostages, including top military officers, have now been freed, officials confirmed.

Cotonou, the country’s economic hub, returned to normal traffic and business activities on Monday after a brief spell of tension triggered by soldiers who appeared on national television to announce the removal of President Patrice Talon.

Talon, 67, later addressed the nation, assuring citizens that the situation was “completely under control” and that loyal forces had suppressed the mutiny. His second term ends in April, with the country already grappling with insecurity in its northern border areas.

The failed putsch adds to a worrying pattern across West Africa where Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and recently Guinea-Bissau have all witnessed military takeovers.

Benin quickly sought help from Nigeria, which on Sunday confirmed launching targeted air operations over Cotonou and deploying ground troops at the request of Talon’s government. ECOWAS also announced a joint deployment involving forces from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to help “preserve constitutional order.”

A military source quoted by AFP said investigators were still determining how many soldiers participated in the mutiny. Several arrests have been made, but many of the plotters are believed to have fled into rural parts of the country. Coup leader Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri is reportedly on the run.

Among those earlier taken hostage were Chief of Army Staff Abou Issa and Colonel Faizou Gomina, both of whom were released overnight near the National Guard headquarters in Cotonou.

Security remained visibly tight on Monday, with tanks spotted in parts of the city and access roads to the presidential residence temporarily blocked.

Benin’s constitution bars Talon from seeking a third term, and Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is widely seen as the preferred contender in next year’s presidential election. The main opposition party, The Democrats, has been excluded from the ballot after failing to secure the required sponsorships.

While condemning the coup attempt, the party warned that the incident underscores the urgency of genuine political dialogue in a country long regarded as a model of democratic progress but increasingly criticised for shrinking political space.