Tinubu lauds Nigerian Armed Forces for protecting democracy in Benin Republic

*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commends the gallantry of the Nigerian Armed Forces for responding swiftly to requests by the Government of Benin Republic to save its 35-year-old democracy from coup plotters, who struck at dawn Sunday, December 7 in the neighbouring country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Sunday, December 7, 2025, commended the gallantry of the Nigerian Armed Forces for responding swiftly to requests by the Government of Benin Republic to save its 35-year-old democracy from coup plotters who struck at dawn.

Acting on two separate requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu first ordered Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets to enter the neighbouring country and take over the airspace to help in dislodging the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped Sunday.

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Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy in a statement, said the Republic of Benin, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Note Verbal, had requested immediate Nigerian air support “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the constitutional order, protect national institutions and ensure the security of the population.”

The Federal Government disclosed that in the second request, the authorities in Benin also requested the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets within Beninese airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination.

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The statement further noted the Beninese Government as well

requested Nigerian ground forces, “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command authority in support of the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed Groups.”

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In response to Benin’s requests, General Olufemi Oluyede, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), affirmed that all the requests have been fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now in Benin Republic.

Oluyede stated: “Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu.”

The Presidency also said Constitutional order was upended in the Republic of Benin, when some soldiers, led by Colonel Pascal Tigri, announced a coup Sunday morning.

The putschists seized the neighbouring country’s National TV, claiming they had toppled President Patrice Talon, and suspended all democratic institutions.

However, it took some hours before the Beninese Government’s loyal forces, assisted by Nigeria, took control and flushed out the coup plotters from the National TV.

Tinubu applauds Nigerian Armed Forces as ‘defender and protector of constitutional order’ in Benin

In his remarks after the restoration of the democratic and constitutional order in Benin, President Tinubu saluted the Nigerian Armed Forces for standing firm as a protector and defender of democracy.

The Nigerian President stated: “Today (Sunday), the Nigerian Armed Forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government.

“Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.”

Tinubu said: “They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and have made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999.

“Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin.”

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