Beninese activist Kemi Seba – known for his anti-Western stance and ties to Russia – was reportedly arrested in Paris this week, although the exact reason has not been made public.
French police took Seba into custody on Monday along with his associate, Hery Djehuty, a source told the French news agency AFP.
It is understood that Seba, whose real name is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, was detained by officers from France’s Directorate General for Internal Security (DGSI).
A statement released on his official social media page said that the charges against him would be disclosed in an upcoming press conference.
The 42-year-old is the founder of the social justice NGO Urgences Panafricanistes and is a vocal critic of French influence in Africa.
“He was in France to meet with Beninese opposition figures and visit a sick relative,” said Maud-Salomé Ekila, spokesperson for his NGO.
She added that Seba had recently held meetings with civil society groups and media outlets in Spain and Belgium, aimed at supporting “the sovereignty movements of Afro-descendant peoples”.
Nationality revoked
In July 2024, Seba’s French citizenship was revoked. The French Interior Ministry accused him of holding “an openly anti-French position”, a claim the French Council of State upheld.
Seba responded by calling the move “a recognition of his political work against Françafrique“, referring to France’s post-colonial influence in Africa.
Shortly after losing his citizenship, Seba was granted a Nigerien diplomatic passport by the military junta that took control in Niger in August.
The new Nigerien government, openly critical of France, appointed Seba as an advisor to General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the coup.
Russian ties
In recent years, Seba has aligned himself with pro-Russian networks, drawing attention for his connection to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late head of the Wagner paramilitary group.
A report by Jeune Afrique claimed Seba received over $400,000 between 2018 and 2019 through these associations.
France’s ruling party has described Seba as a “Russian propaganda tool”, although he continues to be a prominent figure in pan-African circles, where he campaigns for the full independence of African nations from former colonial powers.
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