Benin Requested Nigeria’s Help to Prevent Civilian Casualties

Abuja, December 11, 2025 – Benin Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari, has revealed how his country urgently sought military support from Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states to prevent last Sunday’s coup attempt aimed at overthrowing President Patrice Talon.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting in Abuja, Bakari explained that Benin activated the regional intervention protocol after armed mutineers launched coordinated attacks on critical state installations, including the presidential residence and the national broadcaster.

“We requested intervention under the ECOWAS protocol from Nigeria and other countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana. We asked for the support of our brothers and sisters, not because our army was incapable of handling it,” Bakari said.

He clarified that the Beninese military had already repelled the initial assault, but the mutineers had withdrawn into a military camp surrounded by civilians, making a unilateral operation extremely risky.

“Our defence forces had already pushed them back. They fought back and then withdrew into a military camp surrounded by civilians. If we had launched a full assault, the casualties would have been very high. That is why President Talon requested support—to ensure a surgical operation, destroy the armoured vehicles they had, and prevent them from taking over key locations like the airport,” Bakari explained.

According to Bakari, Nigeria’s swift and decisive response, alongside assistance from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone, helped avert what could have escalated into a mass-casualty event in densely populated areas.

“We showed that together we can fight for democracy. We can stop people trying to derail democracy in our region,” he added, praising Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for approving the deployment of troops.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also addressed journalists, highlighting how the incident underscored the importance of regional coordination and communication in protecting democracy.

“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 with was successful,” Tuggar said, noting that he had been in constant contact with Bakari from the outset.

He further stressed that the events demonstrated the urgent need to strengthen the ECOWAS Standby Force, ensuring it is well-funded and effective in responding to threats to constitutional order.

The failed coup unfolded early Sunday when mutineers attacked President Talon’s residence before moving to the state broadcaster, Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, in an attempt to seize control of the national signal. The plot collapsed after security forces regained control of the broadcaster and other key installations.

Bakari concluded by praising the resilience of Benin’s Republican Guard and reaffirming the importance of regional solidarity in defending democracy across West Africa.