Nigeria has deployed fighter jets and ground troops to neighbouring Benin after a failed attempt by a group of soldiers to overthrow President Patrice Talon.
The move comes after Talon’s government requested urgent military support, including air assistance. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said his forces first took control of Benin’s airspace to disrupt the coup plotters, who had seized the National TV station and regrouped at a military camp.
Ground troops were later sent to assist in “protecting constitutional institutions and containing armed groups,” according to a statement from Tinubu’s office.
The Nigerian president praised the troops for their role in helping to “stabilise a neighbouring country.”
Talon Says Coup Plot Foiled
President Talon addressed the nation, confirming that security forces loyal to him had successfully regained control. “Our troops stood firm, recaptured our positions, and cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers,” he said. Talon warned that those responsible “will not go unpunished” and expressed concern for victims and those held by the fleeing soldiers.
Authorities reported 14 arrests linked to the coup attempt. A security source told AFP that all detainees were active military personnel except one former soldier. It is still unclear whether Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, identified as the alleged coup leader, has been detained.
While gunfire was heard in parts of Cotonou, the city’s commercial hub returned to calm later in the day. Benin’s Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari said the soldiers had only briefly controlled the state TV network.
Regional Backing and Political Context
The attempted coup has drawn condemnation from regional bodies, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union. ECOWAS announced it was sending a standby force, with troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, to help Benin “preserve constitutional order and territorial integrity.”
The unrest comes as Benin prepares for presidential elections in April, expected to mark the end of Talon’s current term. Recent constitutional reforms, which introduced a Senate and extended presidential terms from five to seven years, have sparked criticism and allegations of a power grab by the ruling coalition. The opposition Democrats party has had its proposed candidate disqualified for failing to meet legal backing requirements.
Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, deputy director of the Sahel Project at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that coups in Benin and other African countries reflect broader challenges. “When governments fail to respect democratic rules, uncertainty around elections can create conditions for military interventions,” he said.