Benin Launches Nationwide Manhunt for Coup Leader Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri and Accomplices After Foiled Power Grab

 

Cotonou, December 9, 2025 – Beninese authorities have launched an intensive nationwide manhunt for Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, the self-declared leader of Sunday’s failed coup attempt, along with two key accomplices: Captain Ousmane Samary and Captain-Major Sambieni Castro. The three fugitive officers remain at large and are considered armed and dangerous as security forces, reinforced by regional allies, comb the country in a race to prevent further instability.

The dramatic events began in the early hours of Sunday, December 7, when a small group of mutinous soldiers — estimated at fewer than fifteen — launched a brazen assault on symbols of state power in Cotonou and Porto-Novo. Led by Lt. Col. Tigri, an artillery and explosives specialist in the National Guard, the plotters first attacked the presidential residence in Porto-Novo, where gunfire and explosions were heard. Military vehicles then sped toward the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly, and Camp Guézo barracks.

Shortly after dawn, the rebels stormed the headquarters of state broadcaster Radio Télévision du Bénin (RTB) and seized control of the airwaves. In a tense, military-style broadcast that lasted less than an hour, eight uniformed soldiers appeared on screen. Tigri stepped forward to introduce himself as the head of the newly formed “Military Committee for Refoundation” (Comité Militaire pour la Refondation). Reading from a prepared statement, he announced the dissolution of all government institutions, the suspension of the constitution, the closure of all borders, and the removal of President Patrice Talon from office. He promised elections within one year and urged citizens to remain calm.

The manifesto sharply criticized Talon’s nearly decade-long rule, accusing his administration of favoritism in military promotions, neglect of families of soldiers killed in the jihadist-plagued north, drastic cuts to healthcare, rising taxes, soaring fuel prices, and systematic repression of political freedoms.

The coup attempt, however, collapsed almost as quickly as it began. By late morning, loyalist troops — supported by rapid intervention from neighboring Nigeria — had retaken the television station and secured key government buildings. Interior Minister Alassane Seidou appeared on restored state media to declare the plot “thwarted,” describing it as a mutiny by a small, isolated group of disgruntled soldiers. He reaffirmed the armed forces’ loyalty to the republic and constitutional order.

While at least fourteen participants — mostly active-duty soldiers — were arrested on the spot, Tigri, Samary, and Castro managed to escape. Two civilian hostages taken during the takeover of the television station were freed unharmed. Nigerian air and ground forces assisted in the counter-operation, conducting airstrikes on fleeing vehicles, while French and Beninese aircraft launched surveillance missions to track the fugitives.

President Talon, who was unharmed and secured at his primary residence in Cotonou, addressed the nation late Sunday, condemning the “treacherous and cowardly act” and vowing that all perpetrators would face justice. On Monday, official wanted posters featuring the three officers were widely circulated, and security checkpoints multiplied across the capital and major highways. Authorities appealed to the public for information, promising anonymity and protection for anyone who helps locate the fugitives.

Little is known publicly about the ringleader. Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, aged 42, had commanded the 3rd Inter-Arms Group of the National Guard — a unit created in 2023 to combat jihadist incursions spilling over from Burkina Faso and Niger — until early 2025. Some reports suggest personal grievances over stalled promotions and poor welfare for troops in the north may have fueled his actions, while others point to possible ties to opposition figures critical of Talon’s increasingly authoritarian governance.

This marks Benin’s first serious military challenge since its transition to multiparty democracy in 1991. President Talon, a wealthy cotton tycoon elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2021 amid opposition boycotts and allegations of fraud, has faced growing criticism for constitutional changes that abolished term limits, the imprisonment of political rivals, and crackdowns on protests. A previous coup plot uncovered in 2024 led to lengthy prison sentences for several high-profile figures.

The African Union and ECOWAS swiftly condemned the “attempted unconstitutional change of government.” Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu coordinated his country’s rapid military support, framing it as essential to defend regional democratic norms. France, the former colonial power, monitored events closely through its embassy in Cotonou and advised its citizens to avoid central districts during the unrest. The United States also issued security alerts to its citizens in Benin.

On social media, Beninese users expressed a mix of shock, relief, and anger. Many rejected any return to military rule, posting messages such as “No more juntas in West Africa,” while others voiced sympathy for the soldiers’ grievances over conditions in the north and the high cost of living.

As the manhunt enters its third day, operations have expanded to rural areas and border regions, with unconfirmed reports of possible sightings near Togo. With Talon’s current term set to end in April 2026, the failed coup has exposed deep fissures in Benin’s political and military landscape — economic hardship, insecurity in the north, and perceptions of democratic backsliding. Capturing Tigri and his accomplices may restore immediate calm, but the underlying tensions that sparked Sunday’s events are likely to persist unless broader reforms are addressed.