On December 7-8, mutinous soldiers in Benin briefly seized state TV, declared a coup removing President Patrice Talon, and suspended the constitution. Loyalist forces, supported by Nigerian airstrikes and ECOWAS troops, swiftly regained control. The coup leaders cited governance failures and northern insecurity. Fourteen arrests were made; the leader remains at large. The incident underscores regional instability amid rising West African military takeovers.