By Ajewole Joshua|ABNews| December 8, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the Nigerian Armed Forces for their swift intervention in the Republic of Benin, following an early-morning coup attempt that threatened to upend the country’s 35-year-old democratic order.
According to a statement issued in a State House press release by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu acted on two urgent requests from the Beninese government after soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri allegedly seized the National Television station and regrouped at a military camp in an attempt to overthrow President Patrice Talon’s administration.
In response to the first request, the President directed the Nigerian Air Force to deploy fighter jets into Benin’s airspace to secure strategic locations and disrupt the movements of the mutineers. The intervention focused on reclaiming control of the National TV station and neutralising the regrouped soldiers at the military facility.
In a formal Note Verbale sent through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Benin government appealed for “immediate Nigerian air support in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation, to safeguard constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”
A second request followed, seeking the continued presence of Nigerian Air Force assets in Beninese airspace for surveillance and rapid-response operations, under Benin-led coordination. In addition, Nigerian ground forces were invited to assist strictly in missions approved by the Beninese military command, aimed at protecting constitutional institutions and containing armed groups.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all requests from the Benin authorities were honoured. He disclosed that Nigerian ground troops have since been deployed in the country to support stabilisation efforts.
“Our duty is to carry out the directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Oluyede said.
After several hours of coordinated operations between loyal Beninese forces and Nigerian military support, control of the National Television station was restored and the coup plotters were flushed out, effectively restoring constitutional governance in the neighbouring country.
Reacting to the development, President Tinubu commended the professionalism and courage of the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing their actions as a proud moment for the nation.
“Today, the Nigerian Armed Forces stood gallantly as defenders and protectors of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin, acting on the invitation of its government. They operated within the framework of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. Their intervention has helped stabilise a neighbouring nation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to democratic values,” the President said.
He further assured that Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin in their commitment to peace, stability, and the preservation of democratic institutions.
The intervention, which underscores Nigeria’s long-standing role in regional peacekeeping and democratic support within West Africa, has been widely viewed as a strategic move to prevent political instability from spreading across the sub-region.
– Report obtained by ABNews from the State House Press Release, December 7, 2025
