President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that he sent Nigerian fighter jets and ground troops into neighbouring Benin Republic after soldiers there tried to overthrow the government.
The situation unfolded on Sunday when a group of Beninese soldiers appeared on the national television station and declared that they had dissolved the government.
They took control of the station but were unable to get into President Patrice Talon’s residence, which was heavily guarded at the time.
The soldiers, calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), announced that they had decided to remove Talon from office.
Later that day, Benin’s government said the coup attempt had been foiled, stressing that the country’s security forces had regained control.
It was gathered that the Benin Republic reached out twice to request assistance from the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian ground troops.
In a statement on Sunday night, Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga explained that President Tinubu responded by directing Nigerian fighter jets to secure the Beninese airspace.
Onanuga said the first request asked Nigeria to help push the mutineers out of the national television station and a military camp where they had gathered.
The Beninese Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the situation as urgent and asked Nigeria for immediate support to protect the country’s constitutional order and national institutions.
A second request followed, asking for surveillance operations and quick-response support from the Nigerian Air Force.
Benin also asked for Nigerian ground troops, who would operate only under the approval and coordination of Benin’s military command.
“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 statement reads in part.
“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, Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all the requests had been carried out and that Nigerian troops were already in Benin.
After the operation, President Tinubu praised the Nigerian armed forces for helping safeguard Benin’s democracy, which has been in place for 35 years.
He said, “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.”
KanyiDaily recalls that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had condemned the attempted military coup in the Republic of Benin.
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