Military Foils Coup Attempt in Benin Republic

By Adedapo Adesanya

A coup attempt was foiled in Nigeria’s neighbouring state, the Benin Republic, the government announced on Thursday.

According to Mr Elonm Mario Metonou, prosecutor of the Court for the Repression of Economic Offences and Terrorism in Benin (CRIET), at a press conference in the capital Porto-Novo, the attempt to overthrow the democratic government occurred on Wednesday evening.

Reports said the Beninoise military foiled a coup attempt and arrested Republican Guard Commander Djimon Dieudonne Trvoedjre, former Sports Minister Oswald Homeky, and businessman Olivier Boko on charges of plotting to overthrow the democratic government.

Mr Metonou explained that the first concrete act of the attempt happened on August 6, when the Republican Guard commander opened an account in an Ivory Coast bank in his name. In that account, 105 million CFA francs (approximately $178, 000) were discovered.

“To overcome the resistance of the commander of the Republican Guard, they promised and handed over to him on September 24, 2024, in cash, more than 1.5 billion CFA francs (approximately $2.545 million),” the official said.

He added that Mr Homeky and Mr Tevoedjre were arrested during the transaction, and Mr Boko was arrested shortly after.

As per some agency reports, Mr Metonou declined to provide additional information, but added that the investigation is still ongoing to identify all those involved in the coup plot.

The coup attempt occurred less than two years before President Patrice Talon’s second constitutional term expired. In 2026, he will have to hand over power to a new president.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Objectif 2026 movement, which supports Mr Boko’s possible candidacy for the 2026 presidential elections, in a statement condemned a “serious attack on fundamental rights and the principles of the rule of law” as a “political attack.”

The development raises worries about the spate of coups and attempts in the West African region with countries like Mali (2020), Chad (2021), Guinea (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), Niger (2023), and Gabon (2023) all having successful attempts in the last four years.