President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Nigeria Armed Forces for their swift and decisive response to the request by the Government of Benin Republic to help protect its democracy following an attempted coup early Sunday morning.

According to the presidency, President Tinubu acted on two separate requests from Benin authorities, first authorising Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter Benin Republic and take control of its airspace to support efforts to dislodge the coup plotters who had taken over the National Television station and regrouped at a military camp.

In a Note Verbal issued by the Benin Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country urgently requested Nigerian air support to “safeguard constitutional order, protect national institutions, and ensure the security of the population.”

A second request called for the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets for surveillance and rapid-intervention missions under Benin-led coordination. Benin also requested 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 had been carried out, including the deployment of Nigerian troops into Benin Republic.

“Our duty is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Tinubu,” he said.

The political crisis began when a group of soldiers led by Colonel Pascal Tigri announced a coup, seizing the National Television station and claiming to have removed President Patrice Talon while suspending democratic institutions. It took several hours before loyal forces, supported by Nigeria, regained full control and cleared the coup plotters from the broadcast facility.

Following the restoration of constitutional order, President Tinubu praised the Nigerian military for upholding democratic values in the region.

“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. Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. 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,” he said.