Benin Republic Foreign Minister Reveals Why His Country Turned To Nigeria For Support

Benin Republic’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Bakari, has stated that Nigeria’s swift intervention—alongside support from other West African countries—was pivotal in preventing what could have been a major bloodshed during the recent coup attempt in Benin.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers summit, Bakari explained that although Benin’s military initially repelled the attackers, external assistance was necessary to neutralise the threat while minimising civilian casualties.

He noted that the insurgents had entrenched themselves inside a military barracks located near a heavily populated neighbourhood, making a direct assault by loyalist forces potentially devastating for civilians.

Bakari emphasised that Benin sought help from Nigeria and other ECOWAS members not out of military weakness but for strategic and humanitarian considerations.

“Why did we request support, especially from Nigeria? It was primarily because the attackers were positioned in a barracks surrounded by civilians. We wanted to avoid large-scale casualties. Had our forces gone in directly, the civilian toll would have been extremely high,” he said.

The minister confirmed that assistance was requested from Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone under the ECOWAS protocol.

“Their support was crucial in helping us neutralise the threat with minimal loss of life. We did not want to launch a full-scale offensive that could have resulted in many civilian deaths,” he added.

Bakari recounted that the coup attempt began around 3 a.m. on Sunday with an assault on the presidential residence. Benin’s Republican Guard swiftly countered the attack and foiled an attempt by the rebels to seize the national television station.

“Our defence forces—the Republican Guard—blocked them. After fighting back, the attackers retreated into a military camp. By the time we initiated discussions for Nigeria’s intervention under the ECOWAS protocol, the coup had already failed,” he stated.

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and other regional leaders for moving quickly to prevent further escalation and stop the rebels from capturing key infrastructure such as the airport.

Bakari stressed that the ECOWAS response was a reaffirmation of the region’s commitment to democracy.

“It is important for us, especially the leaders of Benin and Nigeria, to demonstrate that the ECOWAS region remains a place where democracy prevails. In our region, we cannot accept attempts to undermine democratic governance,” he said.