COTONOU — Authorities in Benin Republic have detained former Defence Minister and prominent opposition politician, Candide Azannai, as part of an investigation into the failed coup attempt earlier this month.
Azannai, who was arrested last week at his party’s headquarters in Cotonou, was placed in pre-trial detention on Saturday. He faces accusations of plotting against the state and incitement to rebellion, according to an AFP journalist present at the proceedings.
This development follows the jailing of about 30 people, mostly soldiers, on treason charges last Tuesday in connection with the December 7 coup attempt. On that day, mutinous soldiers announced they had toppled President Patrice Talon, but loyalist forces, with assistance from the Nigerian Air Force, swiftly quelled the uprising.
While several people were killed during the incident, the alleged coup leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, remains at large.
Critics of President Talon, who is set to step down in April after serving two terms, accuse him of authoritarian tendencies in a nation once hailed as a democratic model in West Africa. The country has also been grappling with jihadist violence in its northern region.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on information from international news agency reports and local developments. The legal process is ongoing, and the allegations remain subject to judicial determination.
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