Burkina Faso Shelters Benin Coup Leader Tigri

Burkina Faso has officially granted political asylum to Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, the officer accused of leading a failed coup attempt against Benin President Patrice Talon on December 7, 2025. Capt. Ibrahim Traoré’s government announced the decision on December 10, emphasizing humanitarian obligations and Alliance of Sahel States (AES) solidarity principles. ​ Tigri, who briefly appeared on Beninese state television declaring the constitution suspended and institutions dissolved, fled first to Togo before arriving in Ouagadougou. ​

Traoré stated the move upholds Burkina Faso’s tradition of African hospitality, fraternity, and cooperation, extending protection to Tigri across AES members including Mali and Niger. This stance contrasts sharply with Talon’s demand for Togo to extradite Tigri, warning it would signal complicity in the plot. ​ Benin authorities, aided by Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, quickly thwarted the mutiny near Talon’s residence, identifying Tigri via intelligence shared with Togo. ​

Benin views Tigri’s refuge as provocative, with Talon vowing punishment for plotters who nearly captured him and abducted senior officers. Reports confirm Tigri’s path from Togo to Burkina Faso, fueling tensions between ECOWAS-aligned states and the AES bloc. ​ No extradition response has come from Togo, an ECOWAS member, heightening West African geopolitical strains. 

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