A coup attempt in the Republic of Benin was put down on Sunday after the country’s government sought urgent military support from Nigeria, prompting a swift regional response that forced the mutineers to retreat.
According to senior officials, President Bola Tinubu authorised the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to secure Benin’s airspace immediately after President Patrice Talon requested assistance to counter soldiers who had seized the national broadcaster and regrouped at a nearby military base.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the intervention, noting that Nigeria acted only after receiving a formal request from Cotonou. He said the mission was conducted strictly under Benin’s command.
Nigerian Fighter Jets, Ground Troops Deter Mutineers
Security sources revealed that the presence of Nigerian fighter jets proved decisive.
The aircraft reportedly flew low over key locations and dropped warning explosives, forcing the coup plotters to abandon the state television station and withdraw from a major military camp.
Simultaneously, Nigerian ground troops were dispatched toward Benin’s border areas, with battalions stationed in Ikorodu, Badagry and Owode mobilised for rapid action should the situation escalate.
The Nigerian presidency said the deployments were meant for “surveillance and rapid intervention” and carried out in coordination with Benin’s military leadership.
Sources added that Nigerian forces remain on standby in case the mutineers attempt to regroup.
President Talon Confirms Attempt Defeated
In a televised national address, President Talon announced that the coup attempt had been contained. He expressed sympathy for those affected, including individuals believed to have been taken captive as the mutineers fled.
“I extend my condolences to the victims of this senseless adventure,” Talon said. “We will spare no effort to safely recover those still held by the fleeing insurgents.”
Earlier in the day, Cotonou had been gripped by bursts of gunfire as heavily armed soldiers stormed the national broadcaster. A group calling itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, led by Colonel Tigri Pascal, appeared on state TV to proclaim the dissolution of government institutions, the suspension of the constitution, and the closure of borders. The faction cited worsening insecurity in northern Benin and complaints over the treatment of fallen troops.
ECOWAS Endorses Regional Action
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) quickly backed Benin and Nigeria’s actions. The regional bloc ordered the deployment of a standby force composed of personnel from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, denouncing the attempted takeover as a direct assault on democratic order.
The thwarted putsch adds to a troubling series of military takeovers that have rattled West Africa in recent years, including those in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all operations requested by Benin were executed promptly. “We carried out every directive of the Commander-in-Chief,” he said.
Tinubu Praises Nigerian Forces
President Tinubu later commended the military for acting decisively to stabilise a neighbouring democracy.
Also Read: Korra Obidi Sparks Reactions After Twerking at Fela Kuti’s Gravesite
“Today, our armed forces stood firm as protectors of constitutional authority in the Republic of Benin, at the request of its legitimate government,” Tinubu said. “Their conduct aligns with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. Nigeria stands solidly with the people and government of our sister nation.”
