Tinubu hails Nigerian Army for protecting democracy in Benin Republic

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday praised the Nigerian military for its swift response to a request from the Government of Benin Republic to help protect its 35-year-old democracy after soldiers attempted a coup at dawn.

In a statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Benin made two separate requests for assistance. Following the first request, Tinubu ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter Benin’s airspace and help dislodge the coup plotters from the National Television station and a military camp where they had regrouped.

According to the statement, Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Note Verbale, sought 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.”

A second request asked Nigeria to deploy Air Force assets within Benin’s airspace for surveillance and rapid-intervention operations under Benin-led coordination. The Beninese authorities 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 requests had been executed and that Nigerian ground forces were now in Benin. “Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.

Benin’s constitutional order was disrupted earlier on Sunday when soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri announced a coup, seized the National Television station and declared that President Patrice Talon had been removed and democratic institutions suspended.

Government loyalists, assisted by Nigerian forces, regained control of the broadcaster after several hours and flushed out the coup plotters.

After order was restored, Tinubu commended 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,” the statement said.