Soldiers from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast arrived in Benin on Sunday following a coup attempt aimed at overthrowing the country’s democratically elected government.
The deployment, which regional officials say could be a temporary stabilizing mission or a longer-term intervention, comes less than a month after a similar coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau, another ECOWAS member state.
The situation escalated at daybreak when a group of Beninese soldiers appeared on national television, announcing they had seized power due to “multiple challenges” facing the nation. But the chaos was short-lived. Within hours, the government confirmed the arrest of the plotters, declaring the coup attempt “fully neutralized.”
Nigeria moved swiftly, with the Nigerian Air Force reportedly taking a leading role in securing key locations in Benin alongside the country’s own military. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu was heard commending the troops for “a job well done” in helping restore order.
As reinforcements from across the ECOWAS bloc poured in, the regional alliance signaled its firm stance against unconstitutional changes of power in a country of 14.5 million people. This nation has grappled with political instability for decades, including a successful coup in 1972.
Benin now enters a tense period of uncertainty as security forces maintain heightened vigilance following the swiftly defeated uprising.
