The Nigerian government confirmed that Air Force fighter jets and ground forces were deployed to Benin Republic on Sunday following an attempted military coup.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the intervention came after two separate requests from President Patrice Talon’s administration.
President Bola Tinubu commended Nigeria’s military for swiftly responding to protect Benin’s “35-year-old democracy” from coup plotters who seized the National TV and a military camp.
The Nigerian deployment included surveillance and rapid intervention operations under Benin-led coordination. “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,” the statement said, adding that Nigerian ground forces were approved strictly to support the protection of constitutional institutions and the containment of armed groups.