Benin Arrests Three in Alleged Coup Plot, Including Presidential Guard Commander
Benin’s prosecutors announced on Wednesday the arrest of three prominent individuals, including the commander of the presidential guard, on suspicion of orchestrating a coup d’état in the West African nation.
The two other suspects are former sports minister Oswald Homeky and businessman Olivier Boko, both closely linked to President Patrice Talon.
Special prosecutor Elonm Mario Metonou revealed that the alleged coup was planned for September 27, 2024. “It appears the Republican Guard commander, responsible for the president’s security, was engaged by Minister Homeky and Olivier Boko to carry out a coup by force,” Metonou stated.
Homeky was apprehended around 1:00 AM on Tuesday while allegedly handing over six bags of cash totaling 1.5 billion West African CFA francs (approximately $2.5 million) to Commander Djimon Dieudonne Tevoedjre. Boko, a longtime associate of President Talon who recently indicated plans to run for the presidency in 2026, was arrested separately overnight in Cotonou.
Homeky resigned as sports minister in 2023 after expressing support for Boko’s presidential ambitions. Following Boko’s arrest, his lawyers and supporters condemned the action, labeling it an “abduction” and demanding his immediate release. They expressed concern for his wellbeing, stating that neither his family nor his legal team has been informed of his whereabouts or condition, raising alarms about his access to food and medication.
Boko’s support group, Objectif Benin 2026, criticized the arrest as a severe violation of fundamental rights and “obvious political persecution.”
Since Talon assumed power in 2016, Benin has been accused of drifting toward authoritarianism, diminishing the country’s previously thriving multi-party democracy. This crackdown on dissent follows the detention of Steve Amoussou, an online critic of the president, who faces charges of publishing falsehoods and inciting rebellion.
Benin’s security forces are currently on high alert amid increasing regional instability linked to jihadist violence from the Sahel, with neighboring countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger experiencing military coups amid ongoing insecurity.
