Benin demands Togo hand over alleged coup leader Pascal Tigri
According to senior Beninese officials who spoke to Reuters, Tigri and four other soldiers are hiding in Lome's Lome 2 neighbourhood, which also houses the residence of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe.
Benin has urged neighbouring Togo to hand over Colonel Pascal Tigri, the alleged mastermind behind the country's foiled coup, after confirming he fled across the border in the aftermath of Sunday's unrest
Tigri is said to have led the small group of soldiers who tried to topple President Patrice Talon in an operation that briefly plunged the country into chaos. Authorities say Tigri escaped with several accomplices, prompting a formal request for their immediate extradition.
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According to senior Beninese officials who spoke to Reuters, Tigri and four other soldiers are hiding in Lome's Lome 2 neighbourhood, which also houses the residence of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe.
A memo from Benin's intelligence service to its Togolese counterpart on Wednesday also claimed that Tigri received a call from a Togolese number on the day of the attempted takeover.
The officials added that how Togo responds to Benin's extradition request could signal whether the country played any role in sheltering the coup plotters.
"If the Togolese government does not extradite them to Benin, that will be proof that Togo was involved in the coup attempt," the official said.
The extradition request comes after a brief but violent coup attempt that began early Sunday, when a small group of soldiers stormed the state broadcaster and claimed President Talon had been removed from power.
However, the mutiny was quickly stopped as Benin's armed forces, supported by Nigerian firepower and French intelligence, regained control of key sites across Cotonou.
According to Benin, the coup plotters also attempted to seize Talon at his residence and abducted two senior military officers, who were released later. By Sunday evening, 14 suspects had been arrested, according to government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji.
Benin has not released an official death toll from the clashes, though officials said there were casualties "on both sides."
The failed coup comes months ahead of an April 2026 presidential election expected to mark the end of Talon's tenure. Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, a member of the ruling coalition, is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed him.
Benin's extradition request will be closely watched by the international community as it could escalate tensions and potentially spark a wider regional conflict.
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