Nigerian ministers have credited fast cross-border coordination with helping Benin Republic crush a recent coup attempt and restore order within hours.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, explained in Abuja that Benin requested urgent military support after rogue soldiers tried to seize power in Cotonou. They said Nigeria worked closely with Benin and other ECOWAS states, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone, to respond before the mutiny could spread or cause mass casualties.
According to the ministers, Beninese forces remained in charge of operations on the ground, but regional backing was crucial in securing key locations and denying the plotters access to strategic sites such as the airport and national television. Nigeria’s support reportedly included the deployment of Air Force fighter jets to help secure Benin’s airspace and dislodge mutineers from a military camp and the state broadcaster.
Beninese authorities have identified Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as the alleged leader of the coup attempt, which involved attacks on the residence of President Patrice Talon and other senior officials. Loyal troops are said to have quickly contained the revolt, with several suspected plotters arrested and others still on the run. Officials confirmed that there were casualties on both sides, including at least one civilian, but stressed that the outcome could have been far worse without regional help.
The ministers argued that the failed coup shows why West African countries must deepen intelligence sharing, joint training and rapid-response mechanisms to confront threats such as coups, terrorism and organised crime. They also linked Nigeria’s domestic security to stability in neighbouring states, insisting that supporting democratic governments in the region is in Nigeria’s own national interest.
ECOWAS leaders have already praised Nigeria’s role in the crisis, describing the intervention as proof that the bloc can still act collectively to protect constitutional order despite recent setbacks in other member states. The Nigerian ministers pledged that the country will continue to back diplomatic efforts, sanctions where necessary and legitimate security cooperation to deter future coup attempts in West Africa.
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