Beninese prosecutors announced Wednesday the arrest of three prominent individuals, including the commander of the presidential guard, on suspicion of plotting a coup d’état in the West African nation.
The accused include former sports minister Oswald Homeky and businessman Olivier Boko, a close associate of President Patrice Talon.
Special prosecutor Elonm Mario Metonou from Benin’s court for financial crimes and terrorism revealed that the coup was allegedly planned for Friday, September 27, 2024.
“It appears the Republican Guard commander responsible for the president’s security was engaged by Minister Oswald Homeky and Olivier Boko to orchestrate a coup by force,” Metonou said.
According to the prosecutor, Homeky was apprehended early Tuesday while handing over six bags of cash totaling 1.5 billion West African CFA francs ($2.5 million) to the commander, Djimon Dieudonne Tevoedjre. Boko was arrested separately during a Monday-to-Tuesday night operation in the economic capital, Cotonou.
Boko, a longtime friend of President Talon, had recently signaled his intention to run for the presidency in 2026 when Talon’s second term ends, as the constitution prohibits him from seeking another term.
Homeky, who resigned as sports minister in 2023, had publicly supported Boko’s presidential ambitions.
Boko’s lawyers and supporters condemned his arrest, calling it an “abduction” and demanding his immediate release. “As of this press conference, neither his family nor we, his lawyers, know where he is or the conditions in which he is being held.
He likely does not have access to food or his necessary medications,” the legal team stated.
Boko’s political support group, Objectif Benin 2026, criticized the arrest as “a serious violation of fundamental rights” and an example of “blatant political persecution.”
Critics argue that Benin, once a model of multi-party democracy, has grown increasingly authoritarian under President Talon, who came to power in 2016.
In August, Steve Amoussou, an online critic of Talon, was arrested and is set to stand trial on charges of publishing falsehoods and “inciting rebellion.”
The arrests come as Benin’s security forces remain on high alert, following a series of jihadist-related attacks that have spread from the Sahel region into the country.
Neighboring nations such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have also experienced military coups linked to years of instability fueled by jihadist violence.
AFP
