The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the immediate deployment of its Standby Force in Benin following Sunday morning’s aborted coup d’etat in the country.

This is contained in a statement issued by the ECOWAS Commission, hours after releasing its first statement on Sunday regarding the coup.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday reported that, based on the veiled threat in the earlier statement, ECOWAS would likely deploy its standby force in Benin soon.

Hours after, ECOWAS, in another statement, said it had decided to deploy the standby force following wide consultations with its Heads of State and Government, and the Mediation and Security Council.

It explained that the decision, taken at the highest level, was based on Article 25(e) of the 1999 ECOWAS Protocol Relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Security.

“The Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of state and Government has ordered the deployment of elements of the ECOWAS Standby Force to the Republic of Benin with immediate effect.

“The Regional Force shall be made up of troops from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Republic of Ghana.

“The Force shall support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Sunday commended the gallantry and professionalism of Nigeria’s armed forces for responding swiftly to an urgent request by the Government of the Republic of Benin to help protect its 35-year-old democracy from a dawn coup attempt.

Acting on two separate requests conveyed through Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu directed the Nigerian Air Force to enter Beninese airspace, secure it, and assist in dislodging the coup plotters who had seized the National Television station and regrouped at a military camp.

The Note Verbale from the Beninese government sought immediate Nigerian air support “in view of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and to safeguard the 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 operations under Benin-led coordination.

Benin also asked for Nigerian ground forces, restricted to missions approved by its command authority, to help protect constitutional institutions and contain armed groups.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, confirmed that all requests had been executed and that Nigerian ground troops were already operating in Benin.

“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.