By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian Air Force conducted strikes in neighbouring Benin Republic on Sunday, a source in the Nigerian presidency told AFP, in apparent coordination with Beninese authorities working to contain an attempted coup.
Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame confirmed the operation, stating it was carried out “in line with ECOWAS protocols and the ECOWAS Standby Force mandate.” The specific targets of the strikes were not disclosed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the Nigerian military for responding swiftly to Benin’s request to protect its 35-year-old democracy following the dawn coup attempt. Earlier, a group of soldiers had announced on state television that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office.
The soldiers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), claimed the move was prompted by deteriorating security in northern Benin, neglect of fallen soldiers and their families, and unfair promotions within the military. They also declared a lieutenant colonel as the CMR president.
However, a source close to Talon told AFP that the president remained safe and described the plotters as “a small group of people who only control the television.” The regular army was reportedly regaining control, with Cotonou and the country described as “completely secure.”
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou labelled the soldiers’ action a “mutiny” aimed at “destabilising the country and its institutions,” noting that Beninese forces successfully thwarted the attempt.
AFP correspondents in Cotonou reported hearing gunfire and observed soldiers blocking access to presidential offices, though normal life continued elsewhere in the city.
ECOWAS condemned the soldiers’ actions as “unconstitutional” and a “subversion of the will of the Beninese people.” Benin, which has a history of coups since independence in 1960, has seen a number of military takeovers in the West African region in recent years, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau.
President Talon, 67, is a former businessman dubbed the “cotton king of Cotonou” and is scheduled to leave office in April 2026 after two terms marked by economic growth and a rise in jihadist attacks. While praised for development achievements, Talon has faced criticism for authoritarian tendencies, and the upcoming election sees the ruling party contesting against a “moderate” opposition after the main opposition was excluded from the race.
