Trouble in Benin: Soldiers Attempt to Take Over

In Benin, a group of soldiers tried to take control of the country over the weekend. The government says some people died, but they won't say how many. The leader of this attempt, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, is still missing. The soldiers who tried to take over wanted to remove the president and take control of the government. They even kidnapped some high-ranking military officers. But the army fought back and rescued the hostages. The government says they had help from other countries, like Nigeria, to stop the coup. The soldiers who tried to take over even took control of the national TV station. They said on TV that they were removing the president and dissolving the government. But the army and their allies stopped them. The president called the attempt a "senseless adventure. " He said he would punish those who tried to take over and make sure the hostages are safe. But he didn't say who the hostages were or how many there were. This isn't the first time something like this has happened in West Africa. Other countries in the region have seen similar attempts in recent years. Some people are criticizing the regional group, ECOWAS, for not being consistent in how they respond to these situations.