SON OF FORMER BENIN PRESIDENT ARRESTED AMID POST-COUP CRACKDOWN
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Agency Report
Chabi Yayi, son of former Beninese president and opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, has been arrested at his residence in the early hours of Sunday, relatives have confirmed.
The circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear, as authorities have yet to disclose any formal charges. Family members and associates said they were uncertain whether the arrest was connected to last week’s foiled coup attempt 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 opposition Democrats party chaired by Boni Yayi said it was unclear if the arrest was linked to the events of last Sunday.
The arrest comes amid heightened security measures and a wave of detentions following the failed coup attempt on December 7. Boni Yayi had publicly condemned the attempted overthrow in a video address issued two days after the incident.
Since the aborted putsch, several individuals have been arrested, including former defence minister and prominent opposition figure Candide Azannai. Azannai is currently in police custody on allegations of conspiracy against the authority of the state and incitement to rebellion.
Beninese authorities have also issued an international arrest warrant for pan-Africanist activist and anti-Western influencer Kemi Seba over alleged incitement to rebellion. Seba, who has openly supported the coup attempt and described it as Benin’s “day of liberation,” released a defiant video message on Sunday, stating that he had taken precautions since the warrant was issued, without disclosing his current location.
“You can never stop us. We will go to the end of our fight,” Seba said in the seven-minute video.
Born Franco-Beninese, Seba whose real name is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi was stripped of his French nationality in 2024 and now travels on a passport issued by Niger’s military-led government. He commands a significant online following, with about 1.5 million followers across social media platforms.
Meanwhile, several suspects linked to the failed coup, including its alleged leader, Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, remain at large as investigations continue.
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