Mon Dec 08 11:36:13 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Failed Coup in Benin Sparks Regional Concern; Leader on the Run, Hostages’ Fate Uncertain

Lagos, Nigeria – December 8, 2025 – A day after an attempted coup rocked Benin, West Africa, the situation remains tense with the apparent leader, Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, still at large and the fate of hostages unknown. On Sunday, soldiers identifying as the “Committee for Refoundation” seized the national television station, announcing the removal of President Patrice Talon and the dissolution of government institutions.

However, the coup was swiftly thwarted by Benin’s military, aided by Nigerian air and ground forces. Dozens of soldiers were arrested, but others, including Tigri, remain at large. President Talon, in a statement late Sunday, denounced the “senseless adventure” and pledged to punish the mutineers and ensure the safety of hostages, believed to include senior military officers. Details regarding the number of hostages and casualties have not been released.

The attempted coup has drawn international condemnation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the event could further destabilize the region. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu commended Nigeria’s armed forces for their intervention to uphold Benin’s constitutional order.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has deployed a standby force to Benin, including personnel from Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone, to assist in preserving democracy.

While calm has returned to Cotonou, the administrative center, a heavy military presence remains. Although Benin has enjoyed two decades of uninterrupted democratic rule, this attempted coup adds to growing concerns about political stability in West Africa. The region has witnessed a concerning rise in military takeovers since 2020, with Guinea-Bissau being the most recent example last month, following similar events in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Guinea and Gabon.

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