In a statement on Monday, the embassy confirmed that normalcy had returned following a reassessment of the security situation. “The US Embassy in Cotonou assesses that the situation in Cotonou is calm and has returned to normal. We are lifting the shelter-in-place recommendation,” the statement read. It, however, urged US citizens to remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings, and maintain a low profile.
The advisory change comes after a dramatic sequence of events involving a group of mutinous soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, who attempted to overthrow President Patrice Talon. The soldiers briefly took over state television, announcing the dissolution of the government and suspension of the constitution, moments after an unsuccessful assault on the president’s residence.
Borders were reportedly shut, political party activities halted, and tension spread across the country as the mutineers sought public support.
By late Sunday, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced that loyalist forces had regained full control of strategic locations in Cotonou. Authorities confirmed the arrest of at least 14 soldiers linked to the failed uprising, while others escaped.
Two senior military officers—Chief of Army Staff Abou Issa and Army Chief Colonel Faizou Gomina—who were taken hostage during the mutiny, were released on Monday. Their release followed government efforts supported by Nigerian forces after Benin requested immediate regional support.
The attempted coup adds to the list of recent political instability in West Africa, following military takeovers in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. ECOWAS has since deployed troops from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone to help secure constitutional governance in Benin.
International organisations, including the United Nations, African Union, and France, condemned the coup attempt, reiterating their commitment to democratic stability.
President Talon, currently serving his second and final term, is expected to hand over power after the April presidential election. His designated successor, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, remains the leading candidate, amid criticisms of tightening political space under Talon’s administration.
The swift suppression of Sunday’s attempted coup marks one of the rare rapid restorations of order in Benin, a country long characterised by recurrent coups since its independence in 1960.
