Alleged leader of Benin coup attempt reportedly finds refuge in Togo

The alleged leader of a failed coup attempt in Benin last week has reportedly found refuge in neighbouring Togo, according to various sources.

Beninese government officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri and others allegedly involved in the coup were hiding out in Lomé 2, a neighbourhood of the Togolese capital. Jeune Afrique also reported this location.

On Sunday, Tigri appeared on Benin's state television alongside seven soldiers. The group claimed to have ousted President Patrice Talon and identified Tigri as their leader.

But Benin's armed forces thwarted the coup attempt, backed by Nigerian troops and French logistical support.

At least 14 people were arrested in the hours that followed, according to a government spokesperson.

Tigri managed to escape and his whereabouts remained unknown in the following days.

The aftermath of Sunday’s event comes as another test for regional cooperation after the recent spate of coups in West Africa.

Beninese authorities have reportedly asked Togo to extradite the fugitive soldiers.

Patrice Talon has called the failed coup a “treachery” that “will not go unpunished".

Additional sources • Reuters, Jeune Afrique

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