Monday, December 8, 2025 - The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday ordered the deployment of a regional standby force to Benin following a coup attempt.
It will include
soldiers from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Ghana, according to a
statement from the bloc.
The statement said
the troops would help the Beninese government and army “preserve constitutional
order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin.”
The deployment order
follows a previous ECOWAS statement pledging to support Benin in defending its
constitution and territorial integrity “in all forms necessary,” including the
deployment of a regional standby force.
Nigeria has also
deployed Air Force fighter jets to Benin following two separate requests from
the Beninese government, according to a statement from Nigerian President Bola
Tinubu's special adviser, Bayo Onanuga.
The first request,
made through Benin's Foreign Ministry, sought immediate air support "in
view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation” to help dislodge coup
plotters from the national TV station and a military camp.
The second one asked
for Nigerian air assets to conduct surveillance and rapid intervention
operations, with coordination led by Benin.
Benin also requested
Nigerian ground forces “strictly for missions approved by the Beninese Command
authority” to help protect constitutional institutions and contain armed
groups, according to the statement.
A group of Beninese
soldiers told the state broadcaster Sunday that they had removed President
Patrice Talon from power and appointed Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri to lead a newly
formed “Military Committee for Refoundation.”
Interior Minister
Alassane Seidou, however, said on national television that the coup attempt by
“a small group of soldiers” was foiled, urging citizens to carry on with their
daily activities.
President Talon said
later Sunday that the situation was “totally under control” following the coup
attempt, telling citizens via state broadcaster Benin TV that they could resume
their normal activities.
The coup attempt
follows a military coup in Guinea-Bissau in late November, which installed Gen.
Horta Inta-A as the transitional president.
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