Abuja: President Bola Tinubu has commended the Nigerian military for their prompt assistance in thwarting an attempted coup in Benin Republic on Sunday. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the intervention in a statement issued in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tinubu responded to two urgent requests from the Beninese authorities seeking immediate support from Nigeria’s air force. The Benin Foreign Ministry issued a Note Verbale requesting assistance to uphold the constitutional order and ensure the safety of its citizens.
In response, Tinubu deployed Nigerian Air Force fighter jets into Benin’s airspace to disrupt the efforts of the coup plotters at key locations. The request also included the deployment of air assets for surveillance and rapid intervention, coordinated by Benin. Additionally, Benin asked for a limited deployment of Nigerian ground forces for missions approved by Benin’s command authority.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that the
military fully complied with the President’s orders. “Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu,” Oluyede stated.
The crisis unfolded when soldiers, led by Col. Pascal Tigri, seized the National TV station on Sunday morning, declaring the ousting of President Patrice Talon and the suspension of democratic institutions. Loyal forces, with support from Nigerian personnel, regained control after several hours of tense operations.
The intervention successfully ousted the coup plotters from strategic installations as order was gradually restored. Tinubu praised the troops for their role in defending democracy within and beyond Nigeria’s borders. He remarked, “Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin.”
President Tinubu also noted that the intervention was in alignment with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, emphasizing that the operation was crucial in stabilizing a neighboring country at
a critical moment. “Our armed forces have made us proud of their commitment to sustaining democratic values,” Tinubu concluded.