December 8, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their swift and decisive intervention that crushed a military coup attempt in the Republic of Benin on Sunday morning, successfully restoring constitutional order in the neighbouring country.
The President praised the gallantry of the military in a statement issued after loyalist forces, backed by Nigerian air and ground support, flushed out coup plotters who had seized the national television station and announced the overthrow of President Patrice Talon.
Acting on two urgent official requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, authorised immediate Nigerian military assistance.
The first request, delivered through a Note Verbale from Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sought “immediate Nigerian air support in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation” to safeguard constitutional order, protect national institutions, and ensure the security of the population.
A second request asked for the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets inside Beninese airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination, as well as the deployment of 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.”
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all requests were fully honoured, with Nigerian fighter jets taking control of Beninese airspace and Nigerian ground troops now on the ground in Benin.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” General Oluyede stated.
The coup attempt began at dawn on Sunday when soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri seized the National TV station in Cotonou and announced they had toppled President Patrice Talon and suspended all democratic institutions.
After several hours of fighting, government loyal forces, reinforced by Nigerian air strikes and ground troops, regained full control, dislodging the putschists from the television station and a military camp where they had regrouped.
Following the restoration of constitutional order, President Tinubu saluted the Nigerian military for acting “within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.”
“Today, 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,” President 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.”
Clarion Newschannel – First with the Facts
NIGERIAN AIR FORCE, TROOPS CRUSH COUP IN BENIN REPUBLIC – President Tinubu Hails Armed Forces for Saving 35-Year-Old Democracy
Porto-Novo/Cotonou
