By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the immediate deployment of its standby force to the Republic of Benin following the foiling of an attempted military coup in the country.
In a statement issued late Sunday, the bloc said troops, including contingents from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, were being mobilised to support the Beninese government and safeguard the country’s constitutional order.
ECOWAS had earlier condemned the attempted takeover, urging full respect for Benin’s Constitution and commending the government and Republican Army for swiftly restoring control.
The bloc said the deployment is in line with Article 25(e) of the 1999 Protocol on the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security.
“After consultation among members of the Mediation and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government, the Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has ordered the deployment of elements of the ECOWAS Standby Force to the Republic of Benin with immediate effect,” the statement read.
“The Force shall support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin,” it added.
Nigerian Jet Strikes Coup Plotters
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force has carried out airstrikes in Benin in apparent coordination with Beninese authorities seeking to suppress the coup attempt. The specific targets of the strikes were not immediately known.
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday hailed the swift response of Nigeria’s armed forces, saying they acted promptly on Benin’s request for support to protect its 35-year-old democracy.
According to the Nigerian Presidency, Benin made two separate requests to Abuja. The first asked Nigeria to take over Benin’s airspace to help dislodge coup plotters who had seized the national television station and regrouped at a military camp. The second sought NAF surveillance and rapid-intervention operations under Beninese coordination, as well as the deployment of Nigerian ground forces “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority.”
Benin’s government announced earlier on Sunday that it had thwarted the attempted coup, hours after a group of soldiers appeared on state television claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon from office.
—
‘Under Control’
On television, eight soldiers—calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR)—appeared armed and wearing different coloured berets. They declared a lieutenant colonel as “president of the CMR,” citing reasons including the “deteriorating security situation in northern Benin,” “neglect of soldiers killed in action and their families,” and “unjust promotions.”
ECOWAS described the attempted takeover as “unconstitutional” and “a subversion of the will of the Beninese people”.
Benin has experienced several coups and attempted coups since independence in 1960. President Talon, in power since 2016, is due to complete his second and final term in 2026. Although widely credited with economic reforms, he faces criticism from opponents who accuse him of authoritarian tendencies. The main opposition party has been barred from participating in the 2026 race, with only candidates from the ruling party and a “moderate” opposition expected to contest.
