Kemi Seba arrested in Pretoria

The Kemi Seba Case: “Niger is only concerned with the activist’s diplomatic passport in this case,” said a representative of Nigerien civil society. Kemi Seba (born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi on December 9, 1981) is a French-Beninese political activist, Pan-African ideologue, and social media personality. He is known for his staunch opposition to French influence in Africa and his support for African sovereignty and military-led regimes in West Africa. Seba was born in France to Beninese parents and first gained prominence in the early 2000s as an activist in the Black Power and Afrocentrism movements. He was a member of groups that were later dissolved by French authorities for incitement to hatred and antisemitism. Over time, he converted to Islam, became involved in anti-Zionist groups affiliated with the New Black Panthers, and positioned himself as a Pan-African geopolitical analyst. In 2011, he moved to Senegal and, from 2013 onward, regularly appeared as a speaker and commentator in African-language media and at universities to promote Pan-Africanism and anti-colonial ideas. In 2015, he founded the NGO Urgences Panafricanistes (Pan-African Emergency), which campaigns against so-called neo-colonial structures such as the CFA franc zone and the French military presence in Africa. Seba has been convicted multiple times in France for incitement to hatred and similar offenses. In 2024, his French citizenship was revoked, and he was arrested in Paris for alleged hate speech and anti-Western activities. He was recently accused by Benin and France of inciting rebellion and supporting a failed coup attempt in Cotonou (Benin's largest city and economic capital). This led to an international arrest warrant and his widely publicized arrest in South Africa in April 2026, when he allegedly attempted to travel to Europe. He presents himself as a revolutionary Pan-Africanist and advisor to African military leaders. Since 2024, he has served, among other roles, as a special advisor to the junta leader of Niger, Abdourahamane Tchiani. Western and some African governments and media outlets portray him as a pro-Russian, anti-French propagandist, while his supporters see him as a vocal critic of neocolonialism and a mobilizer of African youth. "Currently, our main concern is the authenticity of the passport," Bana Ibrahim, president of the Geopolitical Commission of the Consultative Council for Re-establishment, told Sputnik Africa. Kemi Seba was arrested in Pretoria on April 13. An arrest warrant has been issued against him by Benin, which has announced it is preparing an extradition request.