The former Director General of Benin’s national police, General Louis Philippe Houndégnon, has been arrested and detained ahead of his trial, marking another high-profile arrest in the country in recent weeks.
Houndégnon was placed under a detention order after being questioned by the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET). Sources close to him and judicial authorities confirmed that he was apprehended at his home on Wednesday evening, facing charges of “incitement to rebellion and electronic harassment.”
A prominent figure during the presidency of Thomas Boni Yayi, Houndégnon served as Chief of Staff at the Ministry of the Interior in 2015. However, he was dismissed after Patrice Talon became president in 2016, a period during which Houndégnon had handled several cases involving Talon, then a businessman in open conflict with Boni Yayi.
In recent months, Houndégnon has been vocal on social media, criticizing Talon’s administration and claiming to have received threats while expressing fears of being arrested. Despite his detention, his associates report that he remains in good spirits. His trial is scheduled for December 16.
This arrest follows the detention of two other influential figures in late September: Olivier Boko, a close friend and businessman ally of President Talon, and former Minister of Sports Oswald Homéky. Both are accused of plotting a “coup d’état” and are also awaiting trial.
Boko, often regarded as Talon’s “right-hand man,” heads the Denrées et Fournitures Alimentaires (DFA) group. Despite having no official government position, he has been a key confidant of the president for over two decades. Recently, Boko began signaling his political ambitions, hinting at a possible candidacy for the 2026 presidential election, a move reportedly displeasing to Talon. Homéky is believed to have supported Boko’s potential bid.
These arrests have heightened political tensions in Benin, a West African nation of 13 million, once praised for its vibrant democracy. Critics accuse President Talon, nearing the end of his constitutionally limited second term in 2026, of steering the country toward authoritarianism.
