Benin Arrests Ex-President’s Son Following Foiled Coup Attempt

Chabi Yayi, son of former Beninese president and opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested early Sunday at his home, relatives confirmed. Authorities have not disclosed a reason for the detention, which comes one week after a failed coup in the country.

“At this time, we don’t know what he is accused of,” a relative told AFP, while a close friend and member of the Democrats party, which Boni Yayi leads, said it was unclear whether the arrest is linked to last Sunday’s events.

Since the December 7 coup attempt, several arrests have been made, including that of former Defence Minister Candide Azannai, held on charges of “conspiracy against the authority of the State and incitement to rebellion.”

Benin has also issued an international arrest warrant for pan-Africanist and anti-Western activist Kemi Seba (Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi), accused of inciting rebellion due to his support for the coup. In a defiant video response, Seba said he had taken precautions and vowed to continue his fight, without revealing his current location.

Seba, 44, is the head of the NGO Pan-Africanist Emergency and is known for his anti-French stance and support for military juntas in the Sahel region. Born Franco-Beninese, he was stripped of his French nationality in 2024 and now travels on a passport issued by Niger’s military regime.

Several coup plotters, including Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, remain at large as investigations continue.