President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the Nigerian Armed Forces for their swift and decisive response to the attempted coup in the Republic of Benin on Sunday. The President said the military acted with courage and professionalism in helping to protect Benin’s 35-year-old democratic system after soldiers loyal to a coup plotter briefly seized parts of the country.
The intervention followed urgent requests from the Government of Benin, which appealed to Nigeria for immediate military assistance when a group of soldiers, led by Colonel Pascal Tigri, announced that they had toppled President Patrice Talon. The coup plotters took over the National Television Station and occupied a military camp, raising fears of a complete breakdown of constitutional order.
According to official documents released by the Presidency, Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a Note Verbal to the Nigerian Government asking for rapid military assistance. The Beninese authorities said their request was driven by “the urgency and seriousness of the situation” and aimed at safeguarding democratic institutions, protecting citizens, and maintaining public order.
In the first request, Benin asked Nigeria to deploy air support to secure its airspace and dislodge the coup plotters from strategic locations, including the National TV station where they had made their announcement. President Tinubu responded immediately by ordering the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to send fighter jets into Beninoise airspace.
Benin also made a second request, asking Nigeria to deploy additional air assets for surveillance and rapid intervention. These operations, according to the request, were to be carried out under the coordination of the Benin security authorities. The third request called for the deployment of Nigerian ground troops, but only for missions approved directly by Benin’s command structure.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all the requests from Benin were carried out fully. He said that the military acted in line with the orders of President Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” General Oluyede said, adding that Nigerian troops were already on the ground in Benin to support operations against the coup plotters.
The combined efforts of Beninese loyalist forces and Nigerian military units resulted in the rapid recapture of the National TV station and the dispersal of the group behind the attempted coup. By afternoon, authorities confirmed that constitutional order had been restored and that President Patrice Talon’s government was back in full control.
Following the successful operation, President Tinubu commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their professionalism and for standing as defenders of democracy in the region. He noted that Nigeria acted in line with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which allows regional assistance to protect elected governments from illegal takeovers.
“Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government,” Tinubu said in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
He added: “They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and have made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999. Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin.”
The President also stressed the importance of regional cooperation at a time when parts of West Africa are experiencing a wave of military coups. Since 2020, countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger have all witnessed military takeovers. ECOWAS has struggled to reverse these coups, with some of the countries even withdrawing from the regional bloc.
Benin, unlike several of its neighbours, has largely remained stable since returning to democratic rule in 1990. President Patrice Talon has led the country since 2016 and is widely seen as a strong proponent of economic reforms. However, critics have accused his government of restricting political freedoms in recent years. Despite this, Benin has not experienced a successful military coup in more than three decades.
The attempted coup by Colonel Tigri therefore raised fears that the instability spreading across the Sahel region could make its way into coastal West Africa. ECOWAS has repeatedly warned that the region’s democratic gains are under threat and has called for stronger partnerships among member states.
Nigeria’s quick response to the crisis, analysts say, may have prevented another country from falling to military rule and showed the importance of cross-border security cooperation.
For many observers, Nigeria’s intervention sends a strong message that ECOWAS will no longer remain passive when democratic governments come under threat. President Tinubu has previously said that the region must not allow unconstitutional changes of government to become normal.
With Benin now stabilised and its government back in control, attention will shift to ensuring that those involved in the coup attempt are brought to justice and that deeper political issues in the country are addressed.
