COTONOU, Benin — The government of Benin has officially declared Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri a wanted fugitive, identifying him as the ringleader of the failed military coup that unfolded early Sunday morning. The announcement initiates a nationwide manhunt for Tigri and two other alleged key conspirators.
Alongside Tigri, the authorities are seeking Captain Ousmane Samary and Captain-Major Sambieni Castro, who are accused of playing critical roles in the plot to overthrow President Patrice Talon. The move follows a brief but dramatic uprising in which mutinous soldiers, led by Tigri, stormed the national television station in Cotonou.
During the short-lived seizure of the broadcaster, Tigri introduced himself as the head of a self-proclaimed "Military Committee for Refoundation" and declared that the country's leadership had been dissolved. Prior to this broadcast, the group reportedly launched an assault on the presidential residence in the capital.
Loyalist security forces acted swiftly to repel the attack on the president's home, reclaim control of the television station, and secure other key government installations. While several participants in the attempted takeover were arrested, Tigri, Samary, and Castro managed to evade immediate capture and flee.
The Beninese government has now issued alerts across all security agencies, mobilizing efforts to locate and apprehend the three fugitive officers. The declaration underscores the administration's intent to hold the architects of the coup attempt fully accountable.
*Source: Daily Post Nigeria.*
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