Although the failed coup of December 7 now seems to be a thing of the past, its effects continue to be felt. MP Soumaila Sounon Boké of the opposition party, Les Démocrates (LD), appeared before the Court for the Suppression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (Criet) on Tuesday, January 13. The charges against him relate to a message posted in a WhatsApp group in the midst of the coup attempt: "It's a day of celebration." The honorable member is accused of "apology for crimes against state security" and "incitement to rebellion." In court, he pleaded unfortunate oversight, claiming that the message was intended for another group of friends regarding festive contributions for the purchase of a sheep. "It was certainly because the phone was in my pocket and unlocked that the message was sent (...) I don't see the opportunity to stage a coup against a president who has decided to step down," he said. At the end of the proceedings, the Criet adjourned the case until February 24.

New attack in Atacora

After a few months of respite, the relative security that seemed to prevail in the north of the country has just been suspended. On the morning of January 14, unidentified armed individuals opened fire and set fire to the police station in the district of Gnémasson (commune of Péhunco) in the department of Atacora (northwest). For the moment, the Beninese authorities have not commented on the event and no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Nevertheless, the Beninese armed forces continue to work to strengthen their operational capabilities in the face of the current security challenges. In fact, with the aim of improving its aerial surveillance and support for security missions, the Republican Police now has four new ultralight motorized aircraft (ULMs).