Urgent Appeal: How Benin Pleaded with Nigeria for Military Intervention to Thwart Coup

The Republic of Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari, opened up in Abuja on Thursday about how his country reached out to Nigeria for military support to crush last Sunday’s attempted coup against President Patrice Talon. Bakari spoke on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers Summit, and he made it clear that Benin’s government acted swiftly because the threat was real and the stakes were dangerously high.

Bakari praised Nigeria and ECOWAS for responding immediately. He said their intervention played a decisive role in stopping what could have turned into a bloody disaster. Benin’s military had already confronted the insurgents head-on, but the rebels had dug themselves into a densely populated area, fortified inside a military barracks surrounded by civilian homes. Any attempt to dislodge them without help risked massive casualties.

He explained that Benin triggered the ECOWAS security protocol and reached out to Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana for support—not because Benin’s army was incapable, but because the situation demanded precision, coordination, and the avoidance of civilian deaths. “Our army pushed them back. The coup had already failed,” he said. “But the rebels had locked themselves inside a barracks in a civilian neighbourhood. If we launched a full assault, too many innocent people would have died.”

According to Bakari, Benin’s military managed to stop the rebels from seizing key installations, including the airport. But Nigeria’s involvement—alongside other ECOWAS nations—gave them the extra edge needed to neutralise the threat carefully. “We requested support from Nigeria so we could strike surgically,” he explained. “We wanted to destroy their armoured vehicles without blowing up an entire neighbourhood.”

He stressed that the coup attempt never gained ground because the Republican Guard held the line from the very beginning. They confronted the insurgents, forced them to retreat, and secured major state facilities before any external forces arrived. Still, the government leaned on regional support because the rebels’ last position sat dangerously close to civilian families.

Bakari said the crisis reaffirmed two important truths. First, Benin’s military remains loyal to democracy and strong enough to stand against mutiny. Second, cooperation between Benin and Nigeria—especially under ECOWAS—can shut down threats before they spiral out of control. “We showed that we can protect democracy together. We showed that our region will not tolerate anyone trying to derail it,” he said.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, echoed these sentiments. He said the quick reaction showed what happens when neighbouring countries maintain honest communication and refuse to allow political instability to spread. Tuggar revealed that he and Bakari stayed in constant contact from the moment the coup attempt started. “That fast reaction and communication is what stopped an unconstitutional takeover,” he said.

Tuggar added that the event proves why ECOWAS needs a fully funded and operational standby force. “These recent events underscore the need for us to have a standby force that is well funded and effective,” he said.

The failed coup began early Sunday when armed mutineers stormed the presidential residence. Security forces fought them off, and the rebels redirected their attack toward the national broadcaster. They briefly entered the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, hoping to hijack the state signal, but they failed again.

After the attempt collapsed, President Bola Tinubu approved the deployment of Nigerian troops to help stabilise Benin and ensure that no faction attempts a second strike. Bakari expressed deep gratitude for this support, saying the move showed how seriously Nigeria takes its responsibility as a regional power and partner.

Through calm coordination, regional unity, and precise military strategy, Benin and its allies stopped a coup that could have unleashed chaos. Bakari said the events reaffirmed the region’s commitment to democracy, stability, and fast collective action whenever any member state faces danger.