At least two senior military officials taken hostage during Sunday's attempted coup in Benin have been freed, a government source has told the BBC. It remains unclear how they were released or if other hostages are still being held.
Security forces are continuing to hunt for those involved in the plot, who remain at large. A group of soldiers appeared on state TV early in the morning to announce they had taken over in the West African country, and gunfire was heard near the presidential residence.
However, President Patrice Talon later announced that the situation is "totally under control". Regional power Nigeria assisted in thwarting the mutiny, saying its fighter jets had helped "dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp" following a request from Benin's government.
On Sunday afternoon, huge explosions were heard in Cotonou, Benin's largest city and seat of government. They were thought to have been the result of an air strike.
Earlier on Sunday, Benin government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji told the Reuters news agency that 14 people had been arrested in connection with the attempted coup. A journalist in Benin also told the BBC that 12 of those reportedly arrested were believed to have stormed the offices of the national TV station - including a soldier who had previously been sacked.
The coup plotters said they were led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, whose whereabouts are unknown. In Sunday's national address, the 67-year-old president said that loyalist forces had "cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers".
Security forces are continuing to hunt for those involved in the plot, who remain at large. A group of soldiers appeared on state TV early in the morning to announce they had taken over in the West African country, and gunfire was heard near the presidential residence.
However, President Patrice Talon later announced that the situation is "totally under control". Regional power Nigeria assisted in thwarting the mutiny, saying its fighter jets had helped "dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp" following a request from Benin's government.
On Sunday afternoon, huge explosions were heard in Cotonou, Benin's largest city and seat of government. They were thought to have been the result of an air strike.
Earlier on Sunday, Benin government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji told the Reuters news agency that 14 people had been arrested in connection with the attempted coup. A journalist in Benin also told the BBC that 12 of those reportedly arrested were believed to have stormed the offices of the national TV station - including a soldier who had previously been sacked.
The coup plotters said they were led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, whose whereabouts are unknown. In Sunday's national address, the 67-year-old president said that loyalist forces had "cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers".
!! Those poor hostages and innocent bystanders who got caught in the middle of all this chaos 
. Two senior military officials were taken hostage, can you even imagine how terrifying that must've been for them?! And now they're free, thank god 
. But what's really getting me is those explosions in Cotonou... I mean, what kind of situation are we living in where air strikes have to be used to stop a coup?! It's like we're stuck in some kind of sci-fi movie 
. And those soldiers who took over the TV station? Unbelievable 
. And Nigeria stepping in to help... that's what friends are for, right?! But still, the fact that there were huge explosions and gunfire near the presidential residence? This is just getting too intense 
just hope those hostages are safe now 
️ still so worried about those soldiers involved in the plot 
think regional help like Nigeria's intervention was super crucial 
benin is lucky to have friends like that 
meanwhile, huge explosions were terrifying 
can't believe 14 people got arrested in connection with it 
col pascal tigri sounds like a major suspect 
anyone know what's next for benin? 
THE FACT THAT NIGERIA TOOK ACTION AND HELPED DISLODGE THE COUP PLOTTERS IS JUST AMAZING 
I MEAN WHO WANTS COUP PLotters RUNNING AROUND? NOT ME, THAT'S FOR SURE! 
I HOPE THE PEOPLE OF BENIN CAN GET BACK TO THEIR NORMAL LIVES NOW. AND LET'S BE REAL, PRESIDENT PATRICE TALON LOOKS LIKE HE'S BEEN ON EDGE ALL DAY 
BUT I'M GLAD HE STOOD TALL AND SAID IT WAS ALL UNDER CONTROL 
. President Patrice Talon seems confident (and rightfully so) that everything is under control 
. We should all take a deep breath and celebrate that no one lost their lives in the aftermath of this attempted coup.
. Can't wait to see how this whole thing plays out... will justice be served? 
. And kudos to Nigeria for lending a helping hand - it's clear their fighter jets made all the difference in disarming the coup plotters. Lt Col Pascal Tigri's whereabouts are still unknown, but I'm sure security forces will get him eventually. It's like something straight out of a movie... and I kinda want to see how this whole story unfolds 
sounds kinda familiar lol.
It feels like a real-life video game over there. I mean, who tries to stage a coup in Benin? What's going on in that country that everyone else is just sitting back and letting it happen? 
This whole situation in Benin is so crazy! I mean, I'm glad those two senior military officials were freed but it's still super scary thinking about what could've happened. The explosions in Cotonou are giving me major anxiety 
. It's wild that Nigeria got involved and helped put a stop to the coup - we're really lucky to have them as a regional power 
when nigeria was all like 'hey we got your back' during this coup attempt in benin it's crazy to think that something so intense could happen in the middle of africa... but at the same time i'm not surprised, power struggles have been going on forever in west africa. anyway, its good to hear that those hostages were freed but like, what was going through their minds when they were being held captive? and who's gonna take responsibility for the whole thing now? col pascal tigri is like some sort of ghost, lol
and now some people are still missing and that's kinda sad 
why do things like this happen though? and btw what's with all the explosions in cotonou?