• Jitters over coup attempt in Benin, ECOWAS’ sixth assault on democracy
• FG, ECOWAS stand with Benin, say coup unacceptable, retrogressive
• Without constitutional democracy, effective governance, coup risks loom – stakeholders

A joint military force, comprising the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Beninese army and French forces, yesterday foiled another coup attempt in the democracy-weary Sahel region.

It started early yesterday morning with gunfire near the president’s residence as the military announced a takeover of neighbouring Benin Republic. This led to a rapid response from the pro-civil rule military pushback against the coup plotters in Cotonou, capital of the Republic of Benin.

The Guardian learnt that the repel was led by the NAF, deploying two military jets from Lagos, and assisted by foreign forces that are suspected to be French.

The government of Benin late yesterday said it foiled an attempted coup by members of the West African nation’s armed forces.

“The Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic,” Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said in a televised address several hours after a group of soldiers made a broadcast in which they said they had ousted President Patrice Talon.

Seidou said in his address that “a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions”, adding that loyalist soldiers had been able “to retain control of the situation and foil the attempt”.

A presidential adviser also confirmed that the president was in a safe location. However, the situation in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city and the seat of the country’s government, remains unclear as huge explosions were heard in the late afternoon, thought to have been the result of an air strike.

Before the explosions, flight-tracking data showed that three aircraft entered Benin’s airspace from neighbouring Nigeria. Two have since returned to the Nigerian city of Lagos, and a third appears to be heading towards an airbase in Kanji in western Nigeria. At one stage, two of the aircraft were flying side by side, which analysts suggest indicates they were military planes.

At the time, a French air force plane was maintaining a circular pattern over Cotonou. French diplomats have denied earlier reports that Talon had taken refuge at France’s embassy in Cotonou.

The rebel soldiers, led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, justified their actions by criticising Talon’s management of the country, complaining first about his handling of the “continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin”.

Benin’s army has suffered losses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards.

The soldier’s statement cited “the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front and, above all, that of their families, abandoned to their sad fate by Mr Patrice Talon’s policies”.

The rebels also hit out at cuts in health care, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, and tax rises, as well as curbs on political activities.

Talon, 67, who is regarded as a close ally of the West, is due to step down next year after completing his second term in office, with elections scheduled for April.

The airstrikes, executed for 30 minutes, involved multiple coordinated strikes carried out by Nigerian fighter jets operating within Beninese airspace. “The operation was meticulously planned and executed. Our objectives were clear: neutralise fleeing hostile elements, prevent regrouping, and restore stability in coordination with regional partners,” the sources stated.

“The Nigerian Air Force remains committed to safeguarding regional security and protecting the sovereignty of neighbouring states,” A top Military officer said. “Our operations are intelligence-driven, precise, and aimed at preventing any spillover that could threaten our borders.”

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame stated that the Nigerian Air Force operates in the Republic of Benin in accordance with ECOWAS protocols and the ECOWAS Standby Force mandate.

“This operation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to regional security and is being conducted in coordination with ECOWAS and host-nation authorities, in full adherence to international norms and regional directives,” he said.

Jitters over coup attempt, fresh assault on democracy
Yesterday’s military coup attempt in the neighbouring Republic of Benin has raised concerns about the fate of democracy in the West African region, with many worried about Nigeria.

The concerns are centred on being surrounded by military administrations, especially regarding the psychological, economic, and security implications of the coup’s effects.

Although the coup attempt in Benin was foiled, it nevertheless sounded a fresh death knell for civilian rule in the troubled Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, amid a groundswell of condemnations.

The Nigerian government described the incident as a grave concern and a direct assault on democracy in the sub-region. In a statement signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria clearly rejected yesterday’s attempt to forcibly seize control of the government in its neighbouring state, calling the development “unacceptable and retrogressive.”

Reacting to the botched coup, the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission), yesterday, said it received the news with dismay and strongly condemns the unconstitutional moves that represent subversion of the people’s will.

Saluting the efforts of the Benin government in repelling the military and bringing the situation under control, it pledged necessary support, including the deployment of the regional standby force to defend the country’s constitution.

Recall that between 2020, when Mali witnessed a military coup, and now, five other countries in the region, including Guinea-Conakry (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), Niger (2023), Guinea-Bissau (2025) and the Republic of Benin, have encountered military assault on democratically elected governments.

Findings also revealed that there have been 10 successful military coups in Africa in the last five years, with over 100 witnessed between 1960 and 2020.

While many people blame the occurrences on the failure of democratically elected governments to live up to expectations of providing good governance, especially with regards to security of lives and property, quality health and education, escalated insurgency and terrorism in the Sahel in the past few years, however, appeared to have also overwhelmed even military governments.

In fact, the coups seemed to have contributed to growing insecurity in the region, with jihadist groups and others exploiting the power vacuum to expand their influence. New terrorist groups, including Lakurawa, have been terrorising border communities while the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) seemed to have lost its steam following loopholes created by the disintegration of the region.

Beyond these, the surge in coups has left many wondering if there were other reasons beyond poor governance, such as possible complicity among politicians in the fight against terrorism.

Reaffirming its commitment to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, the Nigerian government emphasised that unconstitutional changes of government threaten hard-won democratic gains and hinder socio-economic progress in West Africa.

As a key member of ECOWAS and the African Union (AU), Nigeria has called on regional governments, international partners, and democratic institutions to unite in condemning the act and upholding instruments such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance, as well as the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

It also urged all political stakeholders in Benin to remain calm, respect constitutional processes and ensure that political dialogue follows peaceful and legal pathways.

As a big brother and neighbour, the Nigerian government reassured Benin of its support and continued cooperation in the pursuit of a deeper democratic culture, regional peace and sustainable prosperity.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr Leonardo Santos Simão, followed the events in Benin with deep concern.

The Special Representative strongly condemns this attempt to seize power by force, which constitutes a serious threat to the country’s stability and a violation of the fundamental principles of the Constitution and the rule of law.

He welcomes the announcement by the Beninese authorities that the attempted coup has been foiled and that the situation is now under control, in line with the statements made by the Minister of the Interior.

While expressing his solidarity with the Government of Benin, President Patrice Talon, and the people of Benin, Mr Simão encourages the authorities to continue their efforts to ensure the safety of the population and to secure a rapid and full return to calm.

UNOWAS, in coordination with its regional partners, will continue to support Benin in its efforts to strengthen peace, democracy, and stability.

Without constitutional democracy, effective governance, coup risks loom
Apparently, in agreement that military juntas have lost relevance in modern governance, stakeholders rally surviving democracies, such as Nigeria, and its political class to steadily deliver efficient and good governance, to discourage military incursion into governance.

Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), warned that military coups have lost relevance globally, as soldiers are ill-equipped to manage modern states.

Speaking on the foiled coup attempt in Benin, the senior lawyer held that even soldiers have consistently failed to offer solutions to societal problems.

According to him, the initial excitement that often greets a coup is “ephemeral and short-lived,” as citizens quickly realise that military regimes lack the capacity to address economic and political challenges.

“Coup is no longer fashionable across the world because the soldiers have shown themselves not to be cut out for governance,” he said. “Contrary to expectations, they never provide lasting solutions. The euphoria may be strong at first, but reality soon sets in.” He, however, admonished on the best way to prevent coups or attempted takeovers from a democratically elected government.

“It is for governments to respond to citizens’ needs and deliver the dividends of democracy. To prevent coups, the government must listen to the people’s yearnings, make their lives comfortable, and ensure good governance. That is the greatest antidote to coups anywhere in the world.”

Ozekhome also cautioned against shrinking the political space, urging governments to uphold pluralism, encourage opposition participation and strengthen democratic institutions.

“The political space should not be constricted. We should allow plurality of voices, allow the opposition to thrive and support good governance.

“But I am not a fan of coups at all for whatever reason. They are destructive and usually destabilise nations. Perhaps, if the 1966 coup had not happened, Nigeria would have continued to grapple with the challenges of its young democracy and eventually made it work. But that coup set Nigeria back many years, forcing the country to recalibrate before regaining stability,” the senior lawyer added.

A security analyst, Sadeeq Abubakar, reacting to the surge of coups within the ECOWAS bloc, noted that the first set of countries had succeeded. He, however, blamed civilian governments for “completely demoralising” citizens through poor governance.

“So, what stops the military from coming if they will provide dividends of democracy as a case study of Burkina Faso and other Francophone countries that are doing better?

He warned that countries in West Africa may witness further military incursion, except they bring back constitutional democracy that can put good things on the table for their citizens. “Otherwise, the military will return,” he warned.

Rejecting the notion that the region is relapsing into military rule, Abubakar said people should instead acknowledge the factors that necessitate their return to power.

Another security analyst, Mr Alli Hakeem, said democracy should be adapted to suit the peculiarities of each country, stressing that Western democracy appears to have failed in Africa.

Executive Director of The Impacthive Centre for Accountability, Democracy, and Rights (ICADAR), Dr Bello Ishaq, stated that such acts of unconstitutional power-grabbing undermine the democratic aspirations of the people, destabilise the region, and threaten peace, stability, and development across West Africa.

He said the recurrence of coups across several African nations is a deeply troubling trend that demands urgent and concerted action from regional and international stakeholders.

“These unconstitutional interventions often arise from a complex interplay of factors, including bad governance, corruption, economic hardship and the erosion of democratic and judicial institutions.

“Additionally, recurring cycles of leadership crises, lack of accountability, breakdown of the rule of law and over ambition for power by certain individuals further fuel the desperation that leads to military interventions.

“We need to address this negative trend by promoting good governance and accountability through the fight against corruption, ensuring the rule of law and inclusive governance”, Ishaq said. He added that external actors and foreign powers that sponsor coups across Africa for selfish interests must be confronted decisively.