Nigerian fighter jets and troops entered Benin at the government’s request to help thwart a coup bid and stabilise the constitutional order
ABUJA: Nigeria’s presidency has confirmed its military intervened in neighbouring Benin on Sunday following a coup attempt.
President Bola Tinubu ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets into Benin after receiving two formal requests from the Beninese government.
A statement said the jets were tasked with taking over airspace to help dislodge coup plotters from the national television station and a military camp.
The Beninese government has stated it thwarted the attempted coup.
Nigeria said Benin’s foreign ministry requested “immediate Nigerian air support” due to the “urgency and seriousness of the situation”.
The request cited the need to protect the constitutional order, national institutions, and population security.
Benin also sought the deployment of Nigerian fighter jets for “surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination”.
A further request asked for Nigerian ground forces for missions approved by Beninese command to protect institutions and contain armed groups.
Tinubu stated his troops acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance.
“They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country,” he added in the official statement.
The regional bloc ECOWAS earlier said soldiers from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana were being sent to Benin to help contain the coup attempt. – AFP
