Coup plotters made their announcement on the National Television station
By Dickson Bandera
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday praised the swift and “gallant” response of the Nigerian Armed Forces after they intervened to help the Government of Benin Republic repel an attempted military coup that threatened the country’s 35-year-old democracy.
Coup plotters reportedly struck at dawn, seizing the National Television station and regrouping at a military camp, prompting urgent appeals from Cotonou for immediate military assistance.
According to the Nigerian Presidency, Benin issued two formal requests through Notes Verbales to Abuja—first calling for Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets to secure its airspace and neutralize the coup plotters’ positions, and later requesting deployment of air assets for surveillance and rapid-response missions under Beninese coordination.
Benin’s government further requested the deployment of Nigerian ground troops “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority in support of the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed groups.”
President Tinubu—who also chairs ECOWAS—ordered the Nigerian military to act without delay. NAF fighter jets subsequently entered Benin’s airspace, and Nigerian ground forces have now been deployed.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed on Sunday evening that all Benin’s requests had been fulfilled.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces, President Tinubu,” he said.
Conflicting Early Reports as Benin Government Speaks
In the immediate aftermath, Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, announced on national television that an attempted coup by “a small group of soldiers” had been foiled by the military. He urged citizens to remain calm and resume their normal activities.
But separate sources within Cotonou later indicated that President Patrice Talon had been briefly toppled in the chaos before loyalist forces, backed by regional support, began pushing back against the mutineers. Talon, who has led the country since April 2016, was previously a prominent businessman and one of Benin’s most influential private-sector figures.
Benin—formerly Dahomey—has a long and turbulent history with military interventions, having experienced six successful coups between 1963 and 1972, along with two failed attempts. The country gained independence from France on 1 August 1960.
If confirmed, the events of Sunday would place Benin among a growing list of West African nations that have fallen under military rule in recent years. Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea are already led by juntas, and Benin would become the fifth as the region faces what analysts describe as a dangerous democratic backslide.
African Union Strongly Condemns Coup Attempt
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the 7 December coup attempt as a “grave violation” of AU principles.
He reaffirmed the AU’s longstanding frameworks rejecting Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCGs), including the AU Constitutive Act, the Lomé Declaration, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the Ezulwini Framework.
Yousouf called on mutinous soldiers to “immediately cease all unlawful actions, fully respect the Constitution, and return to their barracks,” urging national actors to prioritize unity, dialogue, and peace.
He expressed deep concern over the growing frequency of coups and attempted coups across the continent, warning that such disruptions erode public trust, weaken state authority, and threaten regional security.
Reiterating the AU’s zero-tolerance policy toward any unconstitutional seizure of power, the Chairperson affirmed the Union’s full support for President Patrice Talon, his government, and the people of Benin.
“The African Union stands ready to accompany the Government and People of Benin toward the full restoration of constitutional normalcy and the strengthening of democratic institutions,” he said.
As of late Sunday, Benin’s government had not confirmed the number of arrests or casualties, but officials in Cotonou say the situation is “under control” following Nigeria’s intervention and widespread continental condemnation.
