Chabi Yayi, the son of former Beninese president and current opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested at his home early Sunday, according to relatives. The arrest comes just one week after a foiled coup attempt in the country, further intensifying political tensions.
No official reason for the arrest has been provided by authorities. A relative told AFP, “At this time, we don’t know what he is accused of,” while a close friend and member of the opposition Democrats party added, “We don’t know if it is linked to the events of last Sunday.”
Crackdown on the Opposition
The arrest of Chabi Yayi is the latest in a series of detentions targeting opposition figures and alleged participants in the December 7 putsch attempt.
- Former Minister of Defence Candide Azannai, a key opposition figure, was placed in police custody on charges of “conspiracy against the authority of the State and incitement to rebellion.”
- Thomas Boni Yayi, the current opposition leader, had publicly condemned the attempted coup in a video address two days after it occurred.
International Warrant for Kemi Seba
In addition to the local arrests, Benin has issued an international arrest warrant for pan-Africanist activist Kemi Seba. Seba, who leads the NGO Pan-Africanist Emergency, is known for his anti-France stance and opposition to African governments aligned with Paris.
Seba responded defiantly in a video on Sunday, declaring he had taken precautions following the warrant but would not reveal his location. “You can never stop us. We will go to the end of our fight,” he declared.
The warrant accuses Seba of “inciting rebellion” for his open support of the coup bid, which he described as the country’s “day of liberation.” Seba, who was stripped of his French nationality in 2024, now travels on a passport issued by Niger’s military regime.
Authorities continue to search for several of the coup plotters, including their leader Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who remains at large.
Source: AFP
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