Failed coup attempt in Benin: government reveals new details
The government provided new details about the foiled coup attempt on the night of December 6–7.
Le lieutenant-colonel Pascal Tigri
At a press briefing held on Wednesday, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji described how events unfolded and gave a preliminary assessment of the attack on the presidential residence.
According to the spokesperson, the assault was so intense that the forces deployed to secure the presidential residence suffered casualties.
“There was one fatality and one wounded among those who were guarding the president’s house,” he said.
On the opposing side, several attackers are also believed to have been killed, but their bodies were reportedly retrieved and then exfiltrated by their own accomplices.
Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji also spoke about the scale of the operation set up by the coup plotters. “We estimate that around 100 to 200 military personnel took part in the failed coup,” he said,
highlighting the coordinated and premeditated nature of the operation. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine responsibility, trace the chains of command, and identify all those involved.
This new information confirms that the attack was not an isolated act but a large-scale operation carried out by an organized group with significant logistical resources. Despite this, the quick intervention of the Republican Guard allowed control of the site to be regained within minutes, preventing the assailants from reaching their objective.
The government is trying to reassure the public. It says republican order has been fully restored and that institutions are functioning normally. President Patrice Talon continued his activities without any change to his schedule, while security services continue search operations and arrests related to the case.