The Nigerian government has officially confirmed that its armed forces intervened in the neighbouring Republic of Benin on Sunday in response to a failed coup attempt.
According to a statement from the presidency, Nigerian fighter jets — at the request of Beninese authorities — entered Benin’s airspace to “dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.” Ground troops were also deployed subsequently, following a separate request from the Benin government to help safeguard constitutional institutions and contain armed rebels.
Speaking to the nation after order was restored, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu commended “the gallantry of our armed forces,” saying they helped stabilise a neighbouring country and defended democratic values.
The intervention followed a dramatic declaration on state television by a group of mutinous soldiers who identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation and claimed to have dissolved the government of the Republic of Benin. However, loyalist forces — aided by Nigeria — quickly regained control, effectively removing the threat to constitutional order.
Regional stakeholders also responded. The regional bloc ECOWAS announced the deployment of its standby force, drawing troops from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, to assist Benin’s government in preserving constitutional order and territorial integrity.
In what was a rare cross-border military engagement, Nigeria’s decisive action appears to have helped avert a potential breakdown of governance in Benin, restoring stability before the unrest could escalate further.
