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The Digest:

Benin has placed former defense minister and opposition figure Candide Azannai in pre-trial detention, accusing him of plotting against the state and inciting rebellion following a failed coup earlier this month.

Key Points:
  • Azannai was arrested last week at his party's headquarters in Cotonou and formally detained on Saturday
  • He faces charges of plotting against the state and incitement to rebellion
  • The detention comes after around 30 others, primarily soldiers, were jailed Tuesday for treason
  • The December 7 coup attempt saw soldiers briefly announce the overthrow of President Patrice Talon
  • Loyalist forces, backed by the Nigerian air force, swiftly reclaimed control
  • Several people were killed, and alleged coup leader Lt.-Col. Pascal Tigri remains at large
  • Critics accuse Talon of authoritarian drift amid economic growth and rising jihadist violence
  • Talon is set to step down in April after serving two terms
In a nation once hailed as a democratic model, the post-coup detentions reflect a deeper storm, where stability is enforced through the courts, and opposition voices are swept into the shadow of treason.

Sources: Channels Television, AFP