Bénin welcomes 895 new police and forest recruits into service

The Bèmbèrèkè military training centre came alive with the rhythm of a solemn ceremony on Thursday, 25 June 2026. Nearly 900 recruits from the Republican Police and the Water and Forests Corps officially joined the ranks.

Before a gathering of senior officials, moved parents and relatives, the 895 recruits — drawn from the 2024 and 2025 intakes of the Water, Forests and Hunting Corps and the 2025 intake of the Republican Police — were presented to the national flag.

This landmark event marked the official end of their common basic training and sealed their sacred commitment to serving republican security and protecting the nation’s environmental heritage.

Chaired by the ministers of Interior and Public Security and of National Defence, the ceremony mobilised the country’s top security hierarchy, with the notable presence of the Chief of General Staff of the Bénin Armed Forces and the Director-General of the Republican Police.

In his welcome address, the centre commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Armand Assogbaga, highlighted the deeply symbolic significance of the ritual, which marks a definitive break from civilian life. He reminded the new officers that the presentation to the flag is not mere formality, but demands iron discipline, unwavering courage and absolute loyalty to the homeland.

The highlight of the day remained the official presentation of the national flag, a solemn act that marks the official entry of these young men and women into the greater family of defence and security forces. This powerful moment was immediately followed by the ritual of awarding the fourragère. This military distinction rewards months of intense physical and tactical effort, materialising their new status as guardians of the law and shields against current environmental and security threats.