𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩 – 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Benin Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Bakari, has revealed how the country urgently reached out to Nigeria for military support to thwart last Sunday’s attempted coup against President Patrice Talon.
He said Nigeria’s swift intervention, alongside other ECOWAS states, helped prevent what could have become a deadly confrontation in densely populated areas.
Bakari spoke in Abuja on Thursday during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting.

Speaking with journalists, Bakari praised Nigeria and ECOWAS for their prompt and coordinated response, noting that it played a decisive role in stabilising the situation. He explained that although Benin’s military was able to challenge the rebels, external support was critical in reducing the risk of large-scale violence, especially in areas where the insurgents had fortified themselves.

“We are here as part of our ordinary ministerial meeting within ECOWAS, and it is important for all of us within our community, especially for the leaders of Benin and Nigeria, to show clearly that democracy still prevails in our region,” he said.

Bakari emphasised that West Africa cannot tolerate any assault on democratic governance, adding that the collective response sent a strong message to anti-democratic forces across the region.