A special court in Benin has ordered the continued detention of 31 suspects over a failed coup attempt earlier this month, local media reported. The group includes 30 military personnel and one civilian, accused of plotting to overthrow the elected government in the coastal West African state.
They appeared before the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism in hearings that stretched late into Monday night. Prosecutors brought heavy charges, including treason, murder, and crimes against state security, reflecting the gravity of the alleged conspiracy.
The Dec. 7 coup attempt unfolded when soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri seized the national television station in Cotonou. From the studio, the plotters announced the removal of President Patrice Talon’s government, seeking to project authority through the nation’s airwaves.
Loyalist forces, supported by Nigerian allies, swiftly regained control, preventing the rebels from securing key institutions or public backing. President Talon later addressed the nation, declaring the coup defeated and denouncing the perpetrators as mutineers acting against constitutional order. He vowed that justice would be pursued, signalling a firm response as Benin seeks to preserve stability in a volatile regional climate.