Around 200 West African troops have been deployed to Benin to reinforce national security following an attempted military takeover that was thwarted earlier this week, authorities have confirmed.
Benin’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, said the troops—largely from Nigeria and Ivory Coast—were sent under the framework of the regional bloc Ecowas to assist Beninese forces in stabilising the situation after Sunday’s unrest. He explained that some of the soldiers remain in the country to support ongoing security operations aimed at tracking down those responsible for the failed plot.
The coup attempt collapsed after rapid intervention by Benin’s military, supported by Nigerian fighter jets, which forced mutinous soldiers to retreat from key locations including a military base and the national broadcaster, where they had earlier announced a takeover.
Speaking in Abuja alongside Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Bakari said the uprising had already been neutralised before regional forces were formally deployed, but added that external support—particularly aerial assistance—was crucial in preventing further escalation and protecting civilians.
Security agencies have launched a manhunt for the plot’s organisers, with reports suggesting the alleged ringleader has fled to neighbouring Togo. The mutineers had accused President Patrice Talon’s government of failing to address worsening insecurity in northern Benin, where jihadist violence spilling over from Niger and Burkina Faso has intensified in recent years.
Ecowas confirmed that troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast were mobilised to secure strategic installations and deter any renewed attempts to destabilise the country. Nigeria described the incident as an attack on democratic governance and said swift coordination between diplomatic, intelligence, and military channels helped avert a broader crisis.
While discussions continue on how long the regional forces will remain, Beninese authorities say any withdrawal will be carefully coordinated. The episode underscores Ecowas’ growing resolve to resist unconstitutional changes of government amid a wave of coups across West Africa.
President Talon, a key Western ally, is expected to leave office next year after completing his second term, with national elections scheduled for April.