Benin’s interior Minister Alassane Seidou says the county’s armed forces have thwarted an attempted coup.
His statement came after soldiers appeared on state television and announced the removal of President Patrice Talon, the closure of borders and suspension of political parties.
These event came nearly a year after two associates of Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison following their arrest in 2024 on suspicion of plotting a coup.
Oliver Boko, a businessman and long time friend of the President, and Oswald Homely, a former Sport Minister, were found guilty of “conspiracy against state security” and “corruption of a public official” by the court for financial crimes and terrorism in Cotonou.
The men were convicted in January following their arrest in September 2024, after being accused of brining the commander in charge of the president’s security to carry out a coup.
Homely was caught while allegedly handing over six bags of money to the head of the presidential guard, according to Elonm Mario Metonou, the Special Prosecutor at Benin’s court for financial crimes and terrorism.
Boko, often seen as Talon’s “right-hand man”, was accused of being the mastermind behind the coup attempt and was arrested separately.
Several politicians, including Homely, had expressed support for Boko’s political run in next year’s presidential election in the French speaking nation.
-9News Nigeria.
