Daily Digest Online

Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, the alleged mastermind behind last week's failed coup in Benin Republic, has been granted political asylum by Burkina Faso, officials confirmed Friday. The decision by the Burkinabè government marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, delivering a direct snub to Benin's demand for extradition. The dramatic development follows the soldier's stealthy, multi-country escape from Cotonou, where he had led an attempt to seize control of state broadcasters. The Disappearance and the Getaway According to detailed intelligence reports, the escape was swift and pre-planned. In the final moments before the coup attempt was foiled by Beninese forces with Nigerian support, Tigri reportedly told his fellow soldiers he needed to use the restroom. Instead, he slipped out a backdoor of the broadcast station, sensing the imminent collapse of the operation. Under cover of darkness, the fugitive lieutenant-colonel ...