The ruling party candidate in Benin's upcoming presidential election has vowed to create municipal police forces in northern border towns to defend against persistent attacks from terrorists.

Romuald Wadagni, who has been finance minister under President Patrice Talon since 2016, also said Benin had "no choice" but to work with neighbouring countries to address security challenges, as terrorists active in the Sahel rapidly increase their attacks on the borderlands between Niger, Benin and Nigeria.

Wadagni described the plan for police forces in border towns while unveiling his political platform ahead of the April 12 election.

Benin's national Republican Police force already has a presence in the north along with soldiers.

Deadly terrorist attacks

Wadagni did not specify a target number for municipal police officers in the area, nor did he say how much the programme would cost.

"The goal will be to ensure that young people, in their own environment, are trained, equipped, and given the opportunity to defend their homes, their families, their siblings, and their surroundings," he said.

Security issues in the north will be one of Wadagni's top challenges if he takes over from Talon, who has pursued sweeping economic reforms while trying to boost Benin's appeal to tourists.

In April 2025, Benin said that an attack by an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group had killed 54 soldiers. An attack earlier March 2026 killed 15 soldiers and wounded five more at a military camp in the north.

Attempted coup

Soldiers attempted to oust Talon in a military coup in December, citing the security situation in northern Benin.

That plot was foiled with help from neighbouring countries, including Nigeria.