Reports from Beninese media on Sunday, December 7, 2025, indicate that an attempted coup d’état has been unfolding in Cotonou since the early hours of the morning.
According to the news platform TchadOne, armed military personnel led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri launched an attack on President Patrice Talon’s residence in the Le Guézo neighbourhood at dawn.
By mid-morning, Lt. Col. Tigri appeared on national television—reported to be under military control—where he proclaimed himself “Chairman of the Military Re-establishment Committee.”
The situation in the capital remained tense and fluid throughout the day, with several reports of heavy troop movements around strategic installations in Cotonou. TchadOne said it would continue to deliver real-time updates as events evolve.
As of press time, neither President Talon nor any senior government official had issued a statement on the attack or the unfolding military action.
A Region in Turmoil
The incident adds to the troubling pattern of democratic backsliding across West Africa, where multiple countries have experienced coups, attempted power grabs and prolonged transitional regimes in recent years.
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau became the latest flashpoint in November 2025 after senior army officers seized power on the eve of a presidential election. Heavy gunfire reportedly erupted around the presidential palace, and President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was detained.
The military annulled the electoral process, installed General Horta Inta-A to lead a one-year transition, and cited threats to national stability. The move drew strong condemnation from ECOWAS and compelled Nigeria to offer asylum to opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa amid security concerns.
Mali
In Mali, political tensions have persisted since the 2020 and 2021 coups that brought Colonel Assimi Goïta to power. In August 2025, authorities claimed to have foiled another attempted coup, arresting two generals and a French national accused of plotting to destabilize the transition.
Widespread frustration has grown as political parties remain banned, elections postponed indefinitely and the ruling junta tightens its control. Meanwhile, worsening jihadist attacks and strained relations with Western partners have deepened the country’s instability.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso, governed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since the 2022 coup, reported another foiled coup attempt in April 2025. Officials alleged that senior officers conspired with terrorist groups to topple the government. The revelations triggered heightened security across Ouagadougou and renewed public appeals for loyalty to the junta.
In its push to consolidate power, the government has postponed elections and introduced sweeping security reforms, including a controversial proposal to reinstate the death penalty for treason and terrorism.
Niger Republic
Niger’s July 2023 coup—during which President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by his presidential guard—remains a defining marker in the region’s ongoing democratic erosion. General Abdourahamane Tchiani seized power with military support, justifying the takeover as necessary to address insecurity and economic strain.
More than two years later, Niger remains under military rule, with ECOWAS sanctions, reconfigured alliances and periodic pro-junta demonstrations shaping its political landscape.
The events in Cotonou underscore a widening crisis of governance across West Africa, where coups and political volatility continue to challenge regional stability and democratic consolidation.
