By Tunde Oso, Nkiruka Nnorom, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Favour Ulebor with agency reports
President Bola Tinubu yesterday commended the gallantry of Nigeria’s military for responding swiftly to the request by the Government of the Benin Republic to save its 35-year-old democracy from coup plotters, who struck at dawn yesterday.
A statement by his Special Adviser to the President, Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Federal Government, “Acting on two separate requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu first ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.“
The Presidency said, “The Republic of Benin, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Note Verbal, requested immediate Nigerian air support “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”
In the second request, the authorities in Benin requested the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets within Beninoise airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination.
The Benin government also requested Nigerian ground forces, “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority in support of the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed Groups.”
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, said all the requests have been fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now in Benin.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.
Constitutional order was upended in the Republic of Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour, when some soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri announced a coup on Sunday morning. The putschists seized the National TV and claimed they had toppled President Patrice Talon and suspended all democratic institutions.
It took some hours before the government’s loyal forces, assisted by Nigeria, took control and flushed out the coup plotters from the National TV.
In his remarks after the restoration of the democratic and constitutional order, President Tinubu saluted the Nigerian armed forces for standing firm as a protector and defender of democracy.
“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. Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. 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.”
Shedding light on the coup attempt, Beninoise Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari and Minister of Interior, Alassane Seidou, said in separate interviews that the coup plotters had taken control of state TV and the signal had been cut for several minutes.
A group of soldiers, led by Lt-Col Pascal Tigri, who is now on the run, made a broadcast, saying they had ousted President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution.
The group, which labelled itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced the removal of the president and all political officeholders and dissolution of all democratic institutions.
The soldiers leading the attempted coup justified their actions by criticising President Talon’s management of the country.
“The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era where fraternity, justice and work prevail,” a statement read by one of the soldiers, said.
Confirming the attempt earlier in the day, the French Embassy in Benin said gunfire was reported near the residence of the president in the main city of Cotonou, which is the seat of government.
Eyewitnesses, according to the BBC, also reported that they had heard gunshots and that some journalists working for the state broadcast organisation were held hostage.
But speaking hours after the attempted coup, the Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, urged the people to go about their businesses, saying soldiers loyal to the state had regained power.
This came after the Presidency insisted in the morning that Talon was safe and assured that loyal guards would regain control of the government.
Seidou said: “Early on Sunday (yesterday) morning, December 7, 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions.
“Faced with this situation, the Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic. Their response allowed them to retain control of the situation and foil the attempt.
“The government, therefore, urges the population to go about their activities as normal,” he said.
While also confirming that power had been regained from the mutineers, Foreign Minister, Bakari, said: “There is an attempt, but the situation is under control. Now it’s a small group of military. A large part of the army is still loyal, and we are taking over the situation. This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.”
Soldiers arrested
Some other members of the group have since been arrested, while their leader, Tigri remains on the run.
Following the coup scare, the French and Russian embassies urged their citizens to stay indoors for their safety.
The US embassy equally advised its citizens to stay away from Cotonou, especially the area around the presidential compound.
A presidential adviser also assured that the president is safe and is at the French embassy.
Nigerian Air Force conducts multiple precision airstrikes on fleeing coup plotters
While the coup drama lasted, the Nigerian military deployed fighter aircraft to the Benin Republic, according to security sources.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) carried out strategic airstrikes on fleeing elements of the foiled military coup, according to security sources.
The publication said it was reliably informed by sources that the operation targeted coup plotters and their equipment attempting to escape Cotonou in armoured vehicles following the swift intervention by loyalist forces in the country.
The airstrikes involved multiple coordinated strikes carried out by Nigerian fighter jets operating within Beninese airspace.
“The operation was meticulously planned and executed. Our objectives were clear: neutralise fleeing hostile elements, prevent regrouping, and restore stability in coordination with regional partners,” the sources stated.
The sources emphasised that all actions were conducted with the consent of Benin authorities as well as in strict adherence to international protocols to minimise collateral damage while maximising operational impact.
Nigeria withdraws fighter aircraft as situation stabilises
Hours later, Nigeria was said to have withdrawn the fighter aircraft after the situation in the country had stabilised.
ECOWAS, AU condemn attempt
Also reacting to the coup yesterday, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and the African Union, AU, praised the efforts of the government and the republican army in bringing the situation under control, while condemning the attempt by the group of soldiers.
Both regional bodies described the incident as an unacceptable assault on democratic order and vowed to support Benin in safeguarding its constitutional governance.
Describing the unconstitutional move as subversion of the will of the people, the ECOWAS Commission called for the full respect of Benin Republic’s constitution.
“ECOWAS holds the leaders of the plot both individually and collectively responsible for any loss to life and property occasioned by their action.
“ECOWAS will support the government and the people in all forms necessary, including the deployment of the regional standby force, to defend the constitution and the territorial integrity of Benin,” a statement by the commission said.
Similarly, AU Commission chair, Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, reiterated the pan-African organisation’s “zero tolerance stance toward any unconstitutional change of government, regardless of context or justification”.
He warned that “these trends erode citizens’ trust in public institutions, weaken state authority, and endanger collective security.”
He noted that any form of military interference in political processes constituted a grave violation of the fundamental principles and values of African Union.
Yousouf recalled several continental instruments that prohibited unconstitutional changes of government, including the AU Constitutive Act, the Lomé Declaration, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the Ezulwini Framework.
“These frameworks categorically reject military encroachment in governance and affirm the primacy of constitutional order and democratic legitimacy as pillars of peace and stability on the continent,” the AU stated.
The AU leadership demanded that those involved in the coup attempted halt all illegal activities, return to their barracks, and respect state institutions.
“The Chairperson calls on all actors involved in the coup attempt to immediately cease all unlawful actions, to fully respect the Constitution of Benin, and to return without delay to their legitimate barracks and professional obligations,” the statement read.
Yousouf also urged national actors to prioritise dialogue and unity, expressing worry over the increasing frequency of coups in Africa.
He pledged to work with partners to ensure the full restoration of constitutional normalcy and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
ECOWAS deploys troops to Benin
Meanwhile, ECOWAS has ordered the immediate deployment of its Standby Force to the country. “In a statement issued yesterday, the commission said the action was in line with provisions of its 1999 Protocol on Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security.
The deployment, approved after consultations among ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, will include troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
The regional force is tasked with supporting the Benin government and the Republican Army to safeguard constitutional order and maintain the territorial integrity of the nation.
ECOWAS emphasised that the aim was to stabilise the situation, prevent further disruption, and ensure that democratic governance was preserved in the Republic of Benin.
The statement read: “Porsuant to the provisions of relevant ECOWAS instruments, in particular Article“25(e) of the 1999 Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution Peacekeeping and Security, and after consultation among members of the Mediation and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government.
“The Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of state and Government has ordered the deployment of elements of the ECOWAS Standby Force to the Republic of Benin with immediate effect.
“The Regional Force shall be made up of troops from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Cote Divoire, and Republic of Ghana.
“The Force shall support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin.”
Waves of coups across Africa
The coup attempt yesterday in Benin Republic was the latest in Africa and came barely 10 days after the military toppled the government of Umaro Sissoco Embaló in Guinea-Bissau.
Though this was dismissed as staged by the ousted President, Embaló, the incident, coupled with the unsuccessful takeover in Benin and several others, marked the gradual descent of the continent into instability.
There have been several coups on the continent since 2020, including Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger.
In 2023, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso exited ECOWAS after separate coups in the countries and formed a new regional bloc – the Alliance of Sahel States, AES, as a mutual defence pact, later evolving into plans for a confederation with a joint passport, currency, and economic/military integration.
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