By Ayomide Otitoju
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday commended the Nigerian military for its prompt intervention in Benin Republic, acting on requests from the Beninese government to protect its democracy following an attempted coup at dawn.
According to a statement, President Tinubu authorised the Nigerian Air Force to secure Benin’s airspace and assist in dislodging coup plotters who had taken over the national television station and regrouped at a military camp. The Benin government, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had formally requested immediate Nigerian air support to safeguard constitutional order, protect national institutions, and ensure public safety.
In a second request, Beninese authorities sought Nigerian air assets for surveillance and rapid intervention under Benin-led coordination, as well as the deployment of Nigerian ground forces strictly for operations approved by Benin’s military command. Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede confirmed that all requests were fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now deployed in Benin.
“Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as defenders and protectors of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government,” the statement said. “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 attempted coup was declared by soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR), who claimed to have removed President Patrice Talon from office. However, a source close to Talon confirmed he remained safe and condemned the plotters as “a small group of people who only control the television.”
The intervention underscores Nigeria’s role in regional security and reflects ongoing instability in West Africa, where recent years have seen coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. President Talon, 67, is scheduled to hand over power in April 2026 after a decade in office characterized by economic growth and rising jihadist threats.
