•Troops
Nigeria played a major role to restore democratic order in neighbouring Benin Republic, the presidency has confirmed.
A group of soldiers had appeared on Benin’s state television, announcing the dissolution of the government, yesterday.
The mutineers seized the National TV after but failed to enter President Patrice Talon’s residence, which was under heavy military protection.
They declared the removal of President Talon, who has led the country since 2016, along with the suspension of all state institutions.
Identifying themselves as members of the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), they said the committee had met and resolved that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.
The soldiers, who announced a suspension of the constitution and closure of all land borders and the country’s airspace, said Lieutenant-Colonel Tigri Pascal will be leading a military transition council.
The whereabouts of President Talon was unclear at the time of the announcement.
However, the government later announced that the coup had been foiled.
Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, announced that the country’s armed forces had regained control.
In a statement last night, Bayo Onanuga, Presidential spokesman, said President Bola Tinubu had commended Nigeria’s Armed Forces for protecting democracy in Benin Republic.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the gallantry of Nigeria’s military on Sunday for responding swiftly to the request by the Government of Benin Republic to save its 35-year-old democracy from coup plotters who struck at dawn today.”
“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 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, General Olufemi Oluyede, said all the requests had been fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now in Benin.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.
