By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Tinubu has outlined how Nigerian Armed Forces assisted the Benin Republic in foiling a dawn coup attempt on Sunday, describing the operation as a decisive intervention aimed at safeguarding democracy in West Africa.
Tinubu said the rapid deployment of Nigerian fighter jets and ground troops followed two urgent requests from the Beninese government after soldiers loyal to Colonel Pascal Tigri seized the national television station in Cotonou and announced the overthrow of President Patrice Talon.
According to the Presidency, Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a Note Verbal calling for immediate Nigerian air support “to safeguard constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”
In response, Tinubu authorised the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to enter Beninese airspace, take operational control and assist in dislodging the mutineers from strategic facilities, including the national broadcaster and a military camp where they had regrouped.
A second request from Cotonou sought the deployment of NAF surveillance and rapid-intervention assets under Beninese coordination, as well as limited Nigerian ground support “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command Authority.”
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all requests had been executed, with Nigerian troops now operating inside Benin in support of efforts to restore stability.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” Oluyede said.
The attempted coup briefly upended constitutional order on Sunday morning as the coup faction claimed to have dissolved democratic institutions.
Loyal forces, reinforced by Nigerian military assistance, regained control within hours, flushing the mutineers out of the national television station and securing key installations.
Following the restoration of authority in Cotonou, Tinubu praised the Nigerian Armed Forces for what he called their “gallant” defence of democratic values in the sub-region.
“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,” he said.
“They acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999.”
