Benin Military Officer, Lt Col. Pascal Tigri, Behind Failed Coup Declared Wanted

The ringleader of Benin’s foiled coup, Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, is has been declared wanted by authorities, alongside two co-conspirators.

The failed coup unfolded Sunday morning when Tigri and a group of soldiers seized the state television station, appearing on air to announce that the government had been removed and the constitution suspended.

Tigri identified himself as head of the “Military Committee for Refoundation”. The rebels reportedly attacked the presidential residence in Cotonou before broadcasting their announcement.

Loyalist forces quickly regained control of the presidential residence, key government offices, and the national television network. While most of the mutinous soldiers were arrested, Tigri, Captaine Ousmane Samary, and Captaine-Major Sambieni Castro remain at large and are the focus of a nationwide manhunt.

Authorities, with support from regional bodies such as ECOWAS and the African Union, condemned the coup attempt and reaffirmed their commitment to Benin’s constitutional government.