Benin Coup Leader Colonel Tigri Issues Defiant Message: Coup “Consummated,” Warns France Against Interference
In a bold audio message circulating on social media platforms, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, the fugitive leader of a failed coup attempt against President Patrice Talon, has directly contradicted official government narratives and French media reports.
Tigri, who is actively being hunted by Beninese security forces, insists he is neither fleeing nor deceased, declaring the military takeover “consummated” and calling on citizens to rise against what he describes as imperialistic influences.
The message, purportedly recorded by Tigri and shared widely on platforms like Facebook and X , accuses the Beninese government of spreading propaganda through a private television station rather than the state-owned Office de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision du Bénin (ORTB).
“Contrary to the lies peddled by Talon and his French allies, we remain in control,” Tigri stated, urging the “masses to join the liberation of our country from imperialism.”
He specifically cautioned France against any involvement, framing the coup as a sovereign effort to dismantle foreign dominance.
This comes amid heightened regional tensions following the dramatic events of December 7, 2025, when Tigri and a group of approximately 12-14 soldiers stormed the national television station in Cotonou, briefly seizing the airwaves to announce the dissolution of state institutions, suspension of the constitution, and closure of borders.
The self-proclaimed Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), with Tigri at its helm, cited grievances including Talon’s alleged mismanagement, favoritism in the military, neglect of fallen soldiers’ families, deteriorating security in northern Benin, healthcare cuts, tax hikes, and curbs on political freedoms.
Hours later, Benin’s Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced on Facebook that the “mutiny” had been thwarted by loyalist troops at 11:09 a.m., with 14 arrests made, including active-duty soldiers and a dismissed officer.
President Talon, who escaped an initial assault on his residence in Cotonou, later addressed the nation, thanking the army for its loyalty and vowing retribution against the plotters. Local media reports indicate at least one fatality—the wife of General Bertin Bada, Talon’s Chief of Staff—amid clashes that involved gunfire near Camp Guézo and explosions in the capital.
Tigri’s status remains unconfirmed by official sources, with reports describing him as “on the run” and negotiations allegedly underway at the TV station.
However, his message aligns with pro-coup sentiments echoed by pan-African activists like Kemi Seba, who shared a video purportedly from Tigri’s camp rejecting the government’s claims and calling for mass mobilization.
Eyewitness accounts and social media footage captured military vehicles racing through Boulevard de la Marina, near the Presidential Palace, fueling speculation of deeper unrest.
The international response has been swift and decisive. French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly telephoned Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, expressing support for Talon’s government and prompting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deploy standby forces, including Nigerian JF-17 Thunder jets, Sierra Leonean, Ivorian, and Ghanaian troops.
French reconnaissance aircraft were spotted over Beninese airspace, striking rebel positions in Cotonou and Porto-Novo alongside Nigerian fighters, ultimately aiding loyalists in reclaiming control by nightfall.
Benin, a key French foothold in West Africa after recent troop withdrawals from neighbors like Niger and Mali, denied the existence of a formal French base but acknowledged military instructors on its soil.
Critics of Talon, in power since 2016 and not seeking re-election in April 2026, point to his constitutional reforms that sidelined opposition figures, leading to low voter turnout and prior coup convictions of allies in January 2025.
This incident marks the latest in a wave of West African coups since 2021, including in Guinea-Bissau last month, raising fears of a domino effect amid jihadist threats and economic woes.
As of December 8, 2025, Beninese authorities have sealed off key sites, including the radio-television headquarters, with soldiers patrolling Cotonou.dffda4 Tigri’s call for popular uprising has sparked divided reactions online, with some hailing it as anti-imperialist resistance and others decrying it as destabilization. ECOWAS has condemned the attempt, while the African Union monitors the situation closely.
The fate of Tigri and any remaining plotters hangs in the balance, with the government vowing no mercy for those threatening the republic’s stability.
