The chief of the defence staff () is the highest-ranking military officer in the Benin Armed Forces and is responsible for maintaining control over the service branches.
List of officeholders Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975) Portrait Name Term of office Took office Left office Time in office Alphonse Alley 1965 September 1967 years Maurice Kouandété September 1967 1969 years
People's Republic of Benin (1975–1990) Portrait Name Term of office Took office Left office Time in office Mathieu Kérékou 4 May 1977 September 1981 Barthélémy Ohouens September 1981 February 1985 Charles Bebada February 1985
Republic of Benin (1990–present) Portrait Name Term of office Defence branch Took office Left office Time in office Major general 2000 17 August 2005 years Army Major generalMathieu Amoussa Chabi Boni 17 August 2005 28 March 2012 Army Major generalSoumanou Oke 28 March 2012 30 June 2012 Army Brigadier generalEmmanuel Joseph Akpona 30 June 2012 28 January 2013 Army Counter admiralDenis Hounsou Gbèssèmèhlan 28 January 2013 30 December 2015 Navy Brigadier general Awal Djibril Bouko Nagnimi 30 December 2015 16 September 2016 Army Brigadier general Laurent Amoussou 16 September 2016 14 November 2018 Army Counter admiralPatrick Jean Baptiste Aho 14 November 2018 12 April 2022 Navy Brigadier generalFructueux Candide Ahodegnon Gbaguidi 12 April 2022 Incumbent Army
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