Two men close to Benin’s president who were arrested last week on suspicions of plotting a coup in the small West African country have been remanded in custody ahead of their trial.

Mutinous soldiers in Niger have declared the general who led a coup as the head of state.

Niger’s president defiantly declared that democracy would prevail, a day after mutinous soldiers detained him and announced they had seized power in a coup because of the West African country’s deteriorating security situation.

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged security cooperation and support to Benin as it fights rising threats of extremism.