Authorities in Benin Republic have placed approximately 30 individuals, mainly military personnel, in custody over their alleged involvement in a failed coup against President Patrice Talon earlier this month, according to legal sources.
The suspects appeared before a special prosecutor at the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET) in Cotonou, the country’s commercial capital, on Monday and were subsequently ordered into pre-trial detention on Tuesday following hours of questioning. They face serious charges including treason, murder, and endangering state security.
The attempted coup became public on December 7, when a group of soldiers announced on national television that President Talon had been deposed. However, loyalist forces quickly suppressed the mutiny. Security sources indicated that the Nigerian Air Force and French special forces assisted in quelling the uprising, highlighting regional and international concerns about stability in West Africa.
Reports indicated that several people were killed during the clashes, and the alleged ringleader, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, along with other mutinous soldiers, remains at large. Heavy security was observed around the court premises on Tuesday, reflecting the sensitivity of the case.
In a related development, Chabi Yayi, son of former president and opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was released on Monday after being questioned in connection with the plot. Sources noted that he remains under prosecution, though authorities have not publicly disclosed the specific charges. Chabi Yayi’s involvement has further intensified political tensions in the country.
President Talon, who is constitutionally required to step down in April after completing two terms, has been credited by supporters for economic growth but criticized by opponents for what they describe as authoritarian practices in a nation once considered a model of democratic stability in the region.
