Benin Police Remove Security Barriers Around Ex-President's Home

(Bloomberg) -- Police in Benin removed security barriers around the home of former President Thomas Boni Yayi in Cotonou, where he has been under surveillance since showing support for protests against legislative elections held in April.

“The forces are no longer there,” Wilfried Houngbedji, President Patrice Talon’s communications adviser, said by phone from Cotonou. “They were removed overnight. The police judged the security situation had improved and that it was safe to remove the forces.”

The move comes after a meeting on Thursday between Talon and a delegation from Tchaourou, Yayi’s home town, where violent clashes have left at least two people dead and dozens wounded since the vote. Political tensions have run high in the small West African nation since the vote, in which only two parties loyal to Talon were allowed to run.

To contact the reporters on this story: Leanne de Bassompierre in Abidjan at ldebassompie@bloomberg.net;Virgile Ahissou in Cotonou at vahissou@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net, Anil Varma, Nicholas Larkin

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