Coup: Nigeria, Benin Foreign Ministers Meet Amid Security Concerns

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has met with his Beninese counterpart, Olushegun Adjadi Bakar, in Abuja.

At the office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), both sides reflected on the recent attempted coup in the Republic of Benin and the growing security concerns across the region.

Tuggar explained that much of Nigeria’s insecurity is exogenous, noting that Nigeria and Benin share very close ties, and whatever happens in one country inevitably triggers ripple effects in the other. According to him, this is why a coordinated regional response is no longer optional.

Both ministers emphasised the already strong working relationship between the two countries and agreed that deeper cooperation remains essential for stability.

The Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakar, said the events in Benin a few days ago proved that democracy still holds firm in Africa.

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He expressed gratitude for the support that helped halt the spread of the attempted coup and praised Nigeria for responding quickly when Benin requested ECOWAS intervention.

He explained that the request for Nigerian troops was necessary because the coup plotters had positioned themselves in a very delicate zone. What was needed, he said, was precise aerial backup to carry out a surgical operation that targeted the enemy’s key positions without risking civilian casualties.

He also stressed the importance of establishing a standby regional force to prevent future destabilization attempts. According to him, the synergy that already exists between Nigeria and Benin played a crucial role in restoring stability, and the situation in Benin is now fully under control.