A group of military personnel in Benin on Sunday announced that they had ousted President Patrice Talon, who is due to step down next April after 10 years in power.

Soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), said on state television that they had met and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.

Talon’s whereabouts were unknown and the French Embassy said on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence. It urged French citizens to remain indoors for security.