As Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, the alleged mastermind behind Bénin’s thwarted coup attempt on December 7, 2025, remains at large, the official narrative from Niamey has begun to unravel. Expert insights, coupled with suspicious and undeniable border maneuvers, are exposing the Nigerien regime’s strategy of concealment.
Border manipulations the Tiani regime can no longer hide
The assertion that Niger was completely unconnected to Pascal Tigri’s flight no longer holds up against the evidence. Olivier Vallée, an economist and former technical advisor in Niger, delivered a critical blow to the official version, confirming the Béninois military officer’s presence on Nigerien territory.
This blatant state deception is further bolstered by chronological inconsistencies that the Niamey junta is unable to explain. By what peculiar coincidence did Nigerien authorities choose to widely open their borders precisely the day before the coup attempt in Bénin, only to abruptly seal them the following day, immediately after the operation’s failure was confirmed?
This border double-dealing demonstrates de facto complicity: Nigerien territory clearly served as a refuge. According to compelling information, it was specifically in Niger that Pascal Tigri initially sought sanctuary to organize his escape following his failed endeavor, before disappearing to other locations. “Based on the latest intelligence, he is no longer in Niger. He is likely within the AES (Alliance of Sahel States), but not in Niger,” the expert firmly stated.
While Olivier Vallée attempted to qualify his statements by mentioning the absence of direct and official military support from the central administration, the synchronicity between the border manipulation and the fugitive’s reception betrays evident complacency at the local level, if not unofficial protection that Niamey is now desperately trying to obscure.
The hypocrisy of diplomatic normalization
These timely revelations cast a harsh light on Niger’s duplicitous discourse amidst its grand diplomatic overtures. On May 24, the staged presence of Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine at the inauguration of Bénin’s new president, Romuald Wadagni, conveyed a desire to project good conduct and “turn the page” on bilateral tensions.
However, diplomacy cannot erase the facts. While the Béninois police offer a 20 million CFA franc reward for Pascal Tigri’s capture, Niger finds itself ensnared by its own contradictions. Between the suspicious border maneuvers and the temporary asylum provided to the fugitive, the duplicity of the Niamey regime is now fully exposed, threatening to derail this superficial rapprochement.
