South African authorities have arrested controversial pan-African activist Kemi Seba, who is wanted in Benin on charges of “inciting rebellion,” in relation to the failed Benin coup and have initiated extradition proceedings, police confirmed.
Seba, a 45-year-old Beninese national, was detained at a shopping centre in Pretoria alongside his 18-year-old son and a South African accomplice. According to police, the arrest followed intelligence indicating that he was attempting to flee the region.
Authorities in Benin issued an arrest warrant in December 2025 after Seba publicly backed a failed coup attempt in the country. The government accused him of encouraging insurrection against the state.
South African police said preliminary investigations suggest Seba is also a wanted fugitive in both Benin and France for alleged offences linked to crimes against the state.
Kemi Seba
Born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi in France to Beninese parents, Seba is a long-time critic of French political, economic and military influence in West Africa. He has built a following across the region through his advocacy for African sovereignty and his increasingly vocal pro-Russian stance, framing Russia as a strategic counterweight to Western influence in the Sahel.
Police further alleged that Seba and his son were being assisted by a South African national, who was reportedly paid about 250,000 rand ($15,300) to facilitate their illegal crossing of the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe, with the ultimate aim of reaching Europe. Officers recovered mobile phones and approximately 318,000 rand in cash during the operation.
Seba has maintained a relatively low public profile since the failed coup attempt, reducing his social media activity and largely remaining out of public view. Efforts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.
His regional influence expanded in recent years after he was appointed adviser to Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of Niger’s military government, which has distanced itself from Western allies and strengthened ties with Russia.
Seba, his son, and the South African national have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear in court on April 20 as extradition processes move forward.
Seba’s arrest underscores the growing intersection of activism, geopolitics, and security concerns in Africa, particularly as anti-Western sentiment and shifting alliances reshape the Sahel and broader West African region. The outcome of the extradition case could set a precedent for how African states handle politically sensitive figures operating across borders.
