By Joy Essien, Contributing Editor, Lagos Metropolitan.
Constitutional order was upended in the Republic of Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour, when a faction of the military, led by Lt-Col Pascal Tigri, who is now on the run, made a broadcast, saying they had ousted President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution.
The group, which labelled itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced the removal of the president and all political officeholders and dissolution of all democratic institutions.
announced a coup on Sunday morning.
The coup attempt began with an attack on Talon’s official residence in the capital, Porto-Novo. The soldiers leading the attempted coup justified their actions by criticising President Talon’s management of the country. "The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era where fraternity, justice and work prevail,” a statement read by one of the soldiers, said.
It took some hours before the government’s loyal forces, assisted by Nigeria, took control and flushed out the coup plotters from the National TV.
PresidentTinubu, following the call for help, sent in both air and ground troops from Nigeria, who helped to secure the neighbouring country and rally the coup plotters, paving the way for the loyal local military men to reclaim power and restore democracy.
Acting on two separate requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu first ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.
The Presidency said, “The Republic of Benin, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Note Verbal, requested 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.”
In the second request, the authorities in Benin requested the deployment of Nigerian Air Force assets within Beninoise airspace for surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, said all the requests have been fulfilled, with Nigerian ground forces now in Benin.
“Ours is to comply with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, President Tinubu,” he said.
While also confirming that power had been regained from the mutineers, Foreign Minister, Bakari, said: “There was an attempt, but the situation is under control. Now it’s a small group of military. A large part of the army is still loyal, and we are taking over the situation. This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure.”
Nigerians read, watch and observe in utter wonder and amazement at the swift move to action by the Nigerian military to intervene or interfere (depending on what side of reasoning you’re on) in another country’s affairs while insisting that the U.S cannot invade Nigeria because Nigeria is a sovereign nation on the issue of Christian genocide. Several Nigerians have even expressed shock at the realisation and discovery that we have fighter jets. Fighter jets that never seem to know where abducted citizens are or terrorists/jihadist hideouts while it continues its romantic relationship with these terrorists at the expense of Nigerians.
