Cotonou - Benin President Mathieu Kerekou, who in January accused unnamed rivals of plotting to topple him, has appointed the brother of his main remaining political ally as armed forces chief-of-staff.
Officials said Kerekou had named Colonel Fernand Amoussou on Thursday to replace Colonel Felicien do Santos, who formally retired on Saturday.
Bruno Amoussou was one of a string of politicians who supported Kerekou, the West African country's former Marxist military ruler, when he won a 1996 presidential election in a rare alternation of power in Africa.
But since then, most of his main allies have moved into opposition.
In comments broadcast on January 19 after an official visit to Kuwait, Kerekou accused unamed politicians and soldiers of plotting to topple him.
He blamed "political parties who had sought the help of former soldiers who supported their cause". Since then little has been said on the matter.
The army experienced discontent in January when about 200 peacekeepers returning from Guinea-Bissau were not paid allowances. Similar grievances triggered a coup in Ivory Coast.
Kerekou told soldiers at New Year that unnamed soldiers had been paid to sabotage guns in barracks armouries by taking out the hammer. But he rejected suggestions that they might be linked to the coup plotting.
Separately, Kerekou named his former interior minister, Pancras Brathier, to head the paramilitary gendarmes, a key group in the security forces. Brathier worked closely with Kerekou during his first period in power from 1972 to 1990. - Reuters