Nigeria’s intervention averted bloodshed in Benin coup attempt – Minister

File: Foreign Minister, Republic of Benin, Olushegun Bakari

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Nigeria’s timely intervention played a critical role in averting a potentially devastating bloodbath during a recent coup attempt in Benin, according to the country’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Bakari.

Addressing the press in Abuja on Thursday, Bakari thanked Nigeria and other nations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their swift response to the crisis, which saw Benin’s military repel a coup attempt early on Sunday morning.

Bakari, who is attending the ECOWAS Council of Ministers summit, explained that while Benin’s military was able to confront the insurgents, the intervention from Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states such as Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire was crucial in preventing a bloodier confrontation, particularly in the densely populated area where the rebels had fortified themselves.

“We are here as part of our ordinary ministerial meeting within ECOWAS, and it is important for all of us within our community, and especially for the two leaders of Benin and Nigeria, to clearly show that the ECOWAS region is still an area where democracy prevails.

“This is very important. We show that in our region and environment, we cannot accept those who attack democracy.

“We requested intervention under the ECOWAS protocol from Nigeria and other countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, who also offered their support after Benin made the request. We asked for the support of our brothers and sisters, not because our army was incapable of handling it,” he added.

The coup attempt began around 3 a.m. on Sunday when armed rebels launched an attack on the presidential residence.

However, Benin’s Republican Guard, a key component of the country’s defence forces, quickly mounted a defence and blocked the attackers.

Despite the rebels’ brief attempt to seize national television, the military regained control within hours.

The minister stressed that the coup attempt was a failure, but the potential for civilian casualties remained high as the insurgents had barricaded themselves in a military barracks situated near civilian neighbourhoods.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and other ECOWAS leaders for stepping in and preventing further escalation.

“We were able to stop the rebels from taking over key installations like the airport, thanks to the support from Nigeria and other ECOWAS nations like Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

“Their support was crucial to ensure that we could neutralise the threat with minimal loss of life. We did not want to engage in an all-out assault that could have led to many civilian deaths,” he explained.

He added, “Our defence forces—the Republican Guard—blocked them. They fought back and then withdrew into a military camp. So, when we started discussions for the intervention of Nigeria and others under the ECOWAS protocol, our military had already pushed them back. The coup had already failed.”

Bakari emphasised that the timely intervention prevented the situation from escalating further.

“Why did we ask for support, especially from Nigeria? It was mainly because the area where they had established themselves in a military barracks was surrounded by civilians. We didn’t want to risk significant casualties. If we had let our military enter there, the casualties would have been very high,” he said.

He explained that the intervention allowed them to neutralise the rebels without causing large-scale destruction.

“That’s one of the reasons why President Talon requested support from Nigeria—to ensure that we could have a surgical impact, destroy the armoured vehicles they had in the barracks, and prevent them from taking over key locations like the airport,” he said.

Reflecting on the situation, Bakari underscored two key lessons learned from the episode.

First, he emphasised the strength and resolve of Benin’s military, which was able to fend off the coup despite being outnumbered.

“Our army is a republican army, one that fights for democracy, and it is capable of stopping such coups,” he said.

Second, he lauded the partnership between Benin and Nigeria, particularly under the framework of ECOWAS, for working together to preserve democracy in the region.

“We showed that together we can fight for democracy. We can stop people trying to derail our democracy in the region,” Bakari affirmed.

In his address, Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, highlighted that the incident demonstrated how rapidly democratic institutions can be safeguarded when neighboring countries maintain open channels of communication.

“We are all aware of what transpired in the Republic of Benin and the fast reaction that followed.

“The coordination to ensure that democracy remains untampered in Benin was successful, and it is an exemplar of what really should obtain whenever democracy is under threat in our region,” he said.

Tuggar added that he and Bakari were “in constant contact from the very beginning,” emphasising that “the fast reaction and communication between us and several of our colleagues is what led to the thwarting of this attempt to undermine democracy by way of an unconstitutional change of government.”

He also stressed that the episode highlighted the importance of strengthening the ECOWAS Standby Force.

“First and foremost, we all have to pay up our dues. These recent events underscore the need for us to have a standby force that is well funded and effective,” he noted.

The PUNCH journalist, Gift, has over three years of experience covering elections, security and foreign affairs.

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