A court in Benin has ordered the pre-trial detention of approximately thirty individuals, the majority of them soldiers, in connection with a failed coup attempt earlier this month. The development comes amid a widening crackdown that has also ensnared prominent opposition figures and activists.
Court Proceedings and Charges
The accused appeared before a special prosecutor at the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism in Cotonou on Monday, December 15, 2025. Following their hearing, they were placed in pre-trial detention on Tuesday. Legal sources indicate they are being prosecuted for serious offences including treason, murder, and endangering state security.
Security was exceptionally heavy around the courthouse during the proceedings. The attempted takeover unfolded on December 7, when mutinous soldiers appeared on national television to declare President Patrice Talon deposed. Loyalist forces, with reported assistance from the Nigerian air force and French special forces, swiftly quashed the rebellion.
Manhunt and Opposition Scrutiny
While dozens are now in custody, key figures remain at large. The alleged coup leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, and other mutinous soldiers are still on the run. Several people were killed during the short-lived uprising.
In a parallel development, the government has intensified questioning of opposition members. Chabi Yayi, son of former president and current opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was released on Monday after being interrogated but remains under prosecution in connection with the coup bid. He must report back to police on Thursday.
Other opposition voices have also been targeted. Former defence minister and critic Candide Azannai was arrested last Friday, though it is unclear if his detention is directly linked to the coup. Separately, the Cotonou Court of Appeal upheld a two-year prison sentence for online activist Steve Amoussou, who ran a social media account critical of the government.
International Warrant and Political Context
Authorities have also taken aim at international supporters of the plot. Benin issued an international arrest warrant for Pan-Africanist and anti-Western influencer Kemi Seba, accusing him of backing the attempt. He is charged in absentia with advocating crimes against state security and inciting rebellion.
This crackdown occurs as President Patrice Talon, credited with economic growth but accused of authoritarian drift, prepares to hand over power in April after two terms. With the main opposition party excluded from the upcoming ballot, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is seen as the clear favourite to succeed him. The nation also continues to grapple with jihadist violence in its northern regions.
