ECOWAS has ordered the immediate deployment of its regional standby force to the Benin Republic following Sunday’s failed coup attempt. Troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana will support constitutional order, as Nigerian fighter jets have already conducted strikes in coordination with Beninese authorities.
Key Points
The force includes troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
Deployment follows Article 25(e) of the ECOWAS conflict prevention protocol.
The Nigerian Air Force conducted strikes in Benin under the ECOWAS mandate.
President Tinubu commended Nigeria’s military for responding to Benin’s formal requests.
Benin’s government officially requested Nigerian air and ground support.
Mutineers had announced the “Military Committee for Refoundation” on state TV.
ECOWAS condemned the coup as a “subversion of the will of the Beninese people.”
As regional forces mobilize to shield a neighbor’s democracy, the swift response signals a collective vow to defend constitutional order, yet also mirrors the fragile stability of West Africa itself.
Sources: ECOWAS Statement, Nigerian Presidency, AFP, Local Reports