The Beninese authorities announced the arrest in Cotonou of several agents of the Nigerien intelligence services. These The latter are suspected of monitoring the movements of President Patrice Heel.

The arrest of service agents of Nigerien intelligence marks a new brutal escalation in the crisis diplomatic that has pitted the two West African neighbors against each other for several months. According to Beninese police sources, the arrested suspects did not have no official diplomatic status and an investigation is currently under way to determine the extent of their mission on Beninese territory.

The incident took place in a climate of distrust generalized.

In reaction, the transition authorities in Niamey had ordered the dismissal of the first counsellor of the Embassy of Benin to Niger.