West African troops arrived in Benin on Sunday following a failed coup attempt by a group of soldiers targeting state institutions. President Patrice Talon said the situation was “totally under control” after security forces ended the mutiny. The soldiers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, briefly took over state TV and announced the president’s removal. They named Lt Col Pascal Tigri as their leader. ECOWAS, the West African regional bloc, quickly ordered a standby force deployment to help Benin’s government and army protect the nation’s constitutional order. Troops from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone joined the effort. Nigeria’s air force also struck targets in Benin as part of the mission, according to an air force spokesman, though details on the targets remain unclear. Interior minister Alassane Seidou said the mutiny aimed to destabilize Benin. President Talon condemned the effort, stating, “This treachery will not go unpunished.” Fourteen people linked to the coup attempt were arrested. The attempt came as Benin prepares for a presidential election in April, which will end President Talon’s time in power. The coup plotters cited worsening security, especially militant attacks in northern Benin, and neglect of fallen soldiers. The event is rare in Benin, where the last successful coup was in 1972. This incident adds to growing tensions in West Africa, where recent military takeovers have occurred in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.