The soldiers said they had ousted President Talon from power.

Soldiers in Benin, West Africa, announced on state television that they had ousted President Patrice Talon and seized power.

The French Embassy in Benin said shootings were reported near the presidential residence in Cotonou, the seat of government.

The soldiers also announced a suspension of the constitution and closure of all land borders and airspace.

But those close to the president said he was fine and that the TV station’s small group of soldiers had received no support from the regular army.

“The situation is under control. A significant part of the army is still loyalist and we are taking over the situation,” Foreign Minister Shegun Adjadi Bakari told Reuters.

“This is a small group of people who only control television. The city and the country are completely safe,” an anonymous presidential official told AFP.

The president’s whereabouts are unclear.

A large military presence has led to road blockades in several streets of Cotonou.

Benin has been considered one of the most stable democracies in Africa. It is one of the continent’s largest cotton producers but one of the poorest countries in the world.

French and Russian embassies urged citizens to stay indoors for their safety.

The U.S. Embassy said it was monitoring the situation and had been advised to stay away from Cotonou, especially the area around the presidential compound.

Lt. Col. Tigri Pascal will lead the military transition committee, according to a statement read by soldiers.

They justified their actions by criticizing President Talon’s management of the country.

Talon, 67, plans to step down after completing his second term ahead of elections next April.

The businessman, known as the ‘King of Cotton’, first came to power in the 2016 elections. He pledged not to seek a third term and supported Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.

Prime Minister Talon has been praised by his supporters for overseeing economic development, but his government has also been criticized for suppressing dissenting voices.

Last October, the National Election Commission banned the main opposition party’s candidate from running because he did not have enough sponsors.

This apparent coup in Benin comes just over a week after President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown in neighboring Guinea-Bissau.

In recent years, several coups have occurred in West Africa, including in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, raising concerns that regional security may worsen.

Benin has seen an increase in jihadist activity in recent years as groups linked to the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda spread south.