Around 30 people, most of them soldiers, were jailed in Benin on Tuesday over alleged links to a thwarted coup attempt earlier this month, legal sources told AFP.
The suspects appeared before a special prosecutor at the court for economic crimes and terrorism in Cotonou on Monday and were placed in pre‑trial detention the following day after their hearing.
The arrests follow an attempted putsch on December 7, when a group of soldiers appeared on national television to announce that President Patrice Talon had been deposed.
The attempted takeover was quickly defeated by loyalist army forces, with support from the Nigerian Air Force and French special forces.
Several people were killed during the unrest, and the alleged coup leader, Lieutenant‑Colonel Pascal Tigri, along with other mutinous soldiers, is still at large.
The suspects are facing prosecution on charges including “treason,” “murder,” and “endangering state security,” according to the legal sources.
A heavy security deployment was visible around the court in Cotonou, an AFP journalist reported.
Separately, Chabi Yayi, son of former Beninese president and opposition figure Thomas Boni Yayi, was released on Monday after being questioned in connection with the coup bid.
Chabi Yayi, a member of the opposition party led by his father, remains under prosecution, although the specific reasons for his ongoing legal status were not disclosed.
President Talon, who has been credited with spurring economic growth in Benin, faces criticism from opponents alleging authoritarian tendencies in a country once celebrated for its democratic dynamism.
He is due to hand over power in April after completing a maximum of two terms as president.
Benin has also grappled with jihadist violence in its northern regions in recent years, compounding the nation’s security challenges.