What an Extradition Trial Reveals About Moscow’s Influence in Africa
New details have emerged about a network of pro-Russian actors in the Sahel and beyond.
An ongoing extradition trial in South Africa has revealed a network of pro-Russian actors across Africa, following the failed coup in Benin last year. Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, who led the mutiny and briefly seized the national broadcaster, fled to Togo but remains elusive. Meanwhile, pro-Russian social media influencer Kemi Seba escaped to South Africa, where he was arrested in April and faces charges of inciting the coup.
South African prosecutors allege that Russia funded and orchestrated an illegal escape plan for Seba, along with a significant amount of cash believed to have originated from Russia. Seba and his son, as well as Francois van der Merwe, a leader in a white nationalist group, were arrested together. Van der Merwe had previously attended a neofascist gathering in Russia.
Seba, who has millions of Facebook followers, is a vocal critic of French neocolonialism in Africa. Russia has strong ties with Benin's neighboring nations of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, and is accused of using influencers to spread pro-Kremlin narratives across the continent. Despite growing up in France, Seba has faced accusations of inciting anti-French and antisemitic sentiment. The extradition trial is set to continue on September 23.
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