Benin prosecutors announced on Wednesday the arrest of three prominent individuals, including a commander of the presidential guard, on suspicion of planning a coup d’état in the West African nation.
The other two suspects are former sports minister Oswald Homeky and businessman Olivier Boko, who is reportedly close to President Patrice Talon. Elonm Mario Metonou, the special prosecutor for financial crimes and terrorism, revealed that the alleged coup was intended to take place on Friday.
“It appears the Republican Guard commander in charge of the president’s security was engaged by minister Oswald Homeky and Olivier Boko in order to carry out a coup by force on September 27, 2024,” Metonou stated.
According to the court, Homeky was apprehended around 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday while handing over six bags of cash totaling 1.5 billion West African CFA francs ($2.5 million) to commander Djimon Dieudonne Tevoedjre.
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Boko, known as a longtime associate of President Talon, was arrested separately during the early hours of Tuesday in Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou.
Boko had recently hinted at a potential run for the presidency in 2026, when Talon’s second term ends and he is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election. Homeky had resigned as sports minister in 2023 after advocating for Boko’s candidacy.
Boko’s legal team and supporters have labeled his detention an “abduction,” demanding his immediate release. “As this press conference is being held, it is not possible for his family or us, his lawyers, to know where and in what condition is Mr. Boko, who likely does not have access to food and above all his medications,” they stated.
Boko’s support group, Objectif Benin 2026 (“Target Benin”), condemned the arrest as a “serious violation of fundamental rights” and an act of “obvious political persecution.”
Critics argue that since Talon took power in 2016, Benin has shifted from a vibrant multi-party democracy to an increasingly authoritarian regime. In August, online critic Steve Amoussou was detained and set to stand trial later this year for allegedly publishing falsehoods and inciting rebellion.
Benin’s security forces remain on high alert amid a surge in violence linked to jihadist activities originating in the Sahel region, with neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger also experiencing military coups due to ongoing insecurity.
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