Cotonou, December 15, 2025 – Benin authorities arrested Chabi Yayi, son of former President Thomas Boni Yayi and a senior member of the main opposition party Les Démocrates, at his home in Cotonou early on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The arrest, carried out around 2:00 a.m., has raised questions about potential links to the foiled coup attempt on December 7, though no official charges have been announced against him at the time of reporting.
Relatives and party associates expressed uncertainty over the reasons for the detention. "At this time, we don’t know what he is accused of," one family member stated. A close associate from Les Démocrates added, "We don’t know if it is linked to the events of last Sunday." Chabi Yayi serves as the party's National Secretary for External Affairs, and the opposition group described the arrest as an "abduction" in a statement, alleging a violation of his constitutional rights.
Former President Thomas Boni Yayi, who leads Les Démocrates and is a prominent critic of current President Patrice Talon, had publicly condemned the coup attempt in a video message released two days after the incident on December 9, expressing solidarity with the government and calling for stability.
The arrest of Chabi Yayi is part of a broader wave of detentions following the December 7 putsch attempt, in which soldiers led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri briefly seized state television to announce the overthrow of President Talon. The coup was quickly thwarted by loyalist forces, with support from regional allies including Nigeria. At least 14 individuals, mostly active-duty soldiers, were arrested in the immediate aftermath, though Tigri and several accomplices remain fugitives.
Among those detained is former Defense Minister Candide Azannaï, a key opposition figure who initially supported Talon but later broke ranks. Azannaï was arrested on December 12 and placed in custody on charges of "conspiracy against the authority of the State and incitement to rebellion." Authorities have not confirmed direct ties between these arrests and the coup plot, but investigations continue under the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET).
Separately, Benin issued an international arrest warrant on December 12 against pan-Africanist activist and influencer Kémi Séba (real name Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi) for "inciting rebellion" and "justifying crimes against state security." The 44-year-old, known for his anti-Western stance and support for Sahel military juntas aligned with Russia, had posted a video during the coup attempt calling it Benin's "day of liberation." On Sunday, December 14, Séba released a seven-minute defiant response, stating he had taken precautions and vowing, "You can never stop us. We will go to the end of our fight." He did not reveal his location.
Séba, head of the NGO Urgences Panafricanistes, boasts over 1.5 million social media followers. Born Franco-Beninese, he was stripped of French nationality in 2024 and now holds a passport from Niger's military regime. His vocal criticism of France and governments seen as pro-Paris has made him a polarizing figure in West Africa.
The foiled coup has heightened political tensions in Benin, a country once praised for democratic stability but increasingly criticized for authoritarian drift under Talon. Regional bodies like ECOWAS condemned the attempt, and Nigeria deployed troops to assist in stabilization. The events underscore ongoing challenges in West Africa, where recent coups in neighboring Sahel states have reshaped alliances.
As probes intensify, opposition voices warn against using the incident to suppress dissent. The government has yet to release an official suspect list or comment on Chabi Yayi's case specifically, but the arrests signal a firm response to perceived threats to constitutional order.
