A high-angle, forensic view captures an urban scene in Cotonou, Benin, observed from an elevated balcony

A high-angle, forensic view captures an urban scene in Cotonou, Benin, observed from an elevated balcony. In the immediate foreground, the back of an individual is visible, wearing a light grey top and having dark, braided hair styled into a bun. A light-colored strap is draped over their left shoulder. The individual is positioned at a dark, ornate metal balcony railing with a weathered reddish-brown wooden handrail. Below the balcony, a multi-story building dominates the midground. Its exterior walls are constructed of rough, discolored concrete and exposed brick. A flat, dirty concrete rooftop is visible on a lower section of this building, featuring a small, white satellite dish. Adjacent to this, a steeply sloped, corrugated gray roof extends downwards. Several rectangular window openings on the building's side facing the viewer are fitted with closed or boarded-up reddish-brown wooden shutters. Below these windows, segments of barbed wire are affixed to the wall. A green corrugated metal awning or lean-to structure is visible at a lower elevation on the building's side. The ground level below the immediate structures appears unpaved and strewn with debris, including broken concrete or tiles. A dark metal gate is visible, possibly leading to an alley or courtyard. In the further background, lighter-colored buildings with security features like window grilles and roll-down shutters are observed. A blue barrel stands near one of these structures, and sparse vegetation is present. A vehicle is partially visible in the far upper-right background. Overhead, utility wires traverse the scene.