Abuja: Chabi Yayi, the son of former Beninese president and current opposition figure Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested early Sunday at his home, according to several of his relatives. The arrest comes in the wake of a coup attempt in Benin last week, though no specific reason has been given for his detention.
According to Nam News Network, there is uncertainty surrounding the charges against Chabi Yayi, with some speculating about a possible connection to the events of last Sunday. A member of the Democrats party, which is headed by Thomas Boni Yayi, expressed confusion about the circumstances, stating, “We don’t know if it is linked to the events of last Sunday.”
Thomas Boni Yayi, the father of the arrested individual, publicly condemned the failed coup attempt in a video address two days after the incident. Since the December 7 putsch attempt, several arrests have been made, including that of Candide Azannai, a former minister of defense and a prominent opposition figure. Azannai has been placed in police custody under charges of conspiracy against state authority and incitement to rebellion.
In a related development, Benin has issued an international arrest warrant for Kemi Seba, a pan-Africanist influencer known for his anti-Western stance. Seba, in a recent video, responded defiantly to the warrant, emphasizing that he had taken precautions but did not disclose his current location. The warrant accuses Seba of inciting rebellion due to his support for the coup attempt, which he referred to as the country’s “day of liberation.”
Kemi Seba, born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is a notable figure with a large social media following and leads the NGO Pan-Africanist Emergency. He is recognized for his critical views on France and African governments aligned with Paris. Seba, who was stripped of his French nationality in 2024, now holds a passport from the military regime in Niger, a neighboring country of Benin. His support for military juntas in the Sahel region, which have distanced themselves from France and aligned more closely with Russia, is well-documented.
