Leader of Failed Benin Coup Reportedly Fleeing to Togo Amid Regional Response
A senior Beninese government official has informed the BBC that the leader of Sunday’s failed coup, Lt Col Pascal Tigri, is believed to be taking refuge in Togo. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Benin would formally request Tigri’s extradition, though the Togolese government has yet to respond.
The attempted takeover follows a series of military coups across West Africa, raising growing concerns about the stability of democracy in the region. The coup was swiftly suppressed after Nigeria deployed fighter jets to dislodge mutineers from a military base and state television offices at the request of President Patrice Talon’s administration.
On Sunday, a group of soldiers appeared on state television to declare they had seized power, with gunfire reported near the presidential residence. The government official added that Tigri was reportedly in Lomé, the capital of Togo, near President Faure Gnassingbé’s residence. “We will submit an official extradition request and await the Togolese authorities’ response,” the official said. There has been no independent confirmation of his location.
Togo, a member of the West African bloc ECOWAS, condemned the coup attempt. The regional organization has deployed troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast to protect key installations in Benin, signaling its commitment to defending civilian governments.
French special forces reportedly assisted Benin’s loyalist troops in countering the mutiny, according to Dieudonné Djimon Tevoedjre, head of the Benin Republican Guard. He praised the bravery of Benin’s forces and said French troops from Abidjan conducted mop-up operations after the army had regained control. Benin’s government spokesman, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, confirmed France primarily provided intelligence support but did not verify direct combat involvement.
The failed coup was carried out by a small contingent of National Guard soldiers, Houngbédji said. They justified their actions by criticizing Talon’s governance, citing deteriorating security in northern Benin, neglect of soldiers’ welfare, cuts to healthcare, tax increases, and restrictions on political activities.
The President requested ECOWAS to conduct targeted airstrikes to neutralize the mutineers, who had reportedly planned to attack Cotonou’s main airport, threatening civilian lives. Houngbédji added that the strikes focused on immobilizing rebel equipment, including armored vehicles.
President Talon, a former businessman dubbed the “king of cotton,” is set to step down next year after completing his second term, with elections scheduled for April. He has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor. While Talon has been praised for economic development, critics highlight his suppression of opposition voices, including the recent barring of a main opposition candidate.
The Benin coup attempt comes just over a week after the overthrow of Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and follows previous coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger. Regional instability has also been influenced by growing Russian ties with Sahel countries, some of which have left ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States. Pro-Russian social media accounts reportedly celebrated the Benin coup attempt.
