Togo Crisis: Beninois president Patrice Talon comes to Gnassingbe's aid

Beninois Head of State, Patrice Talon has made a quick round trip to the Togolese capital Lomé on Wednesday, as the political crisis in the country excavated.

Patrice Talon last week stopped for a few hours in Lomé on his return from a trip to France.

According to Radio France International (RFI), Mr Talon would conduct, in the coming days, a discreet mediation between Togo's embattled President Faure Gnassingbé and opposition parties in the country.

The Togolese opposition is calling for a two five-year term limitation for presidents as well as a two-round voting system.

Beninois political personality Albert Tevoedjre, a former minister and mediator in his own country, offered his services as mediator earlier this week, according to local media reports.

The police on Wednesday fired tear gas to calm protests which continue to spread to the capital, Lomé, and other cities such as Sokode, Dapaong, and Kara.

Colonel Damehame Yark, the security and civil protection minister, told a news conference that one person was shot dead and around sixty others arrested in Lome. Another three died of gunshot wounds in the second-biggest city, Sokode, some 300km north of Lome.

This week's planned protests are the latest against President Faure Gnassingbe who has been in power since 2005 after the death of his father President Gnasimgbe Eyadema who ruled the country for 38, since 1967.

Earlier Thursday, streets in Lomé were blocked and most shops were shut in the commercial area of Deckon and opposition strongholds in the capital city, Lomé.