By Ephraim Agbo
In the pre-dawn hours of a Sunday, the relative stability of West Africa’s so-called “democratic anchor” was shattered. Soldiers in military fatigues appeared on Benin’s state television, announcing the dissolution of the government and the suspension of the constitution. For a tense few hours, the fate of President Patrice Talon and his nation hung in the balance. Yet, by nightfall, the coup was over—crushed not only by loyalist troops but by a decisive and rapid military intervention from neighbouring Nigeria, backed by a regional coalition. This event marks more than a failed power grab; it is a pivotal moment in the region’s struggle between democratic resilience and military adventurism.
Key Moments: A Timeline of the Failed Coup
· Pre-dawn, December 7: A faction of soldiers attacks the presidential residence in Cotonou. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, they seize the state broadcaster, ORTB, and announce the formation of the “Military Committee for Refoundation”.
· Early Morning: Confusion reigns. The French Embassy reports gunfire at Camp Guezo, near the president’s home, and advises citizens to stay indoors. President Talon’s whereabouts are unknown, with an adviser later stating he was at the French embassy.
· Late Morning: Loyalist forces regroup. Benin’s Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, announces the coup attempt has been “thwarted” and the armed forces are in control.
· Afternoon: Regional intervention begins. Flight-tracking data shows Nigerian aircraft entering Beninese airspace. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu confirms he ordered fighter jets to “take over the airspace” and dislodge plotters from key positions.
· Evening: The regional bloc, ECOWAS, formally announces the immediate deployment of its standby force—troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana—to support Benin’s constitutional order. President Talon addresses the nation, declaring the situation “totally under control”.
· Outcome: At least 14 individuals are arrested, most of them active-duty soldiers. Lt. Col. Tigri remains at large. Nigerian officials later report precision airstrikes on the Togbin military camp where mutineers had regrouped.
Nigeria’s Calculus: Why Immediate Intervention Was Non-Negotiable
Nigeria’s response was remarkable for its speed and scale. Abuja’s rationale, however, was built on a clear, multi-layered logic extending far beyond simple neighbourly assistance.
First, the legal and diplomatic framing was precise. Nigeria acted upon two explicit requests from Benin’s government—first for air support, then for ground troops—and under the formal mandate of ECOWAS. This provided crucial legitimacy, positioning Nigeria as a guarantor of regional protocols rather than an infringer of sovereignty.
Second, the action was driven by urgent national-security concerns. Benin shares a long, porous frontier with Nigeria — roughly 809 km from the Niger tripoint in the north to the Gulf of Guinea — and the two countries’ borderlands include areas that link northern Benin with parts of Nigeria often affected by jihadist activity and banditry. Northern Benin has already seen lethal attacks tied to Sahel-based militant networks, and regional analysts warn that political collapse in Cotonou could open corridors for armed groups, illicit trafficking and other instability that would have direct cross-border consequences for Nigeria. Nigerian and ECOWAS officials framed their response in precisely those terms — to head off a power vacuum on their doorstep and to limit spillover risks to Nigerian territory.
Third, it was a powerful political signal. For President Tinubu, who chairs the ECOWAS Authority, the intervention projected Nigerian leadership and restored credibility to a bloc recently weakened by the withdrawals of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Domestically, it allowed Tinubu to rally national pride around the military’s role as a regional stabilizer, a valuable narrative amid Nigeria’s own economic challenges.
The Mutineers’ Grievances: A Window into Deeper Cracks
The coup plotters’ televised statement was not merely a declaration of power but a manifesto of discontent that reveals fractures within Beninese society and its military. Their cited motivations, which Talon dismissed as a “senseless adventure,” point to real tensions:
· Security Failures in the North: They highlighted the “deteriorating security situation” in northern Benin, where the army has suffered losses fighting jihadist militants spilling over from Niger and Burkina Faso. Soldiers felt ill-supported on the front lines.
· Neglect of Fallen Soldiers: The plotters accused Talon of “ignorance and neglect” toward the families of soldiers killed in action, a potent grievance that strikes at military morale.
· Political Grievances: They cited cuts to public services like state-funded kidney dialysis, tax increases, and restrictions on political activity.
· Favouritism in the Military: Reports indicate they alleged unfair promotions and management within the armed forces.
These grievances did not emerge in a vacuum. They festered in a pre-election climate where Talon, though adhering to term limits, has been accused of manipulating the political field. Last month, constitutional reforms extended the presidential term, and the main opposition candidate was barred from the April 2026 ballot on technical grounds. As security analyst Beverly Ochieng noted, militaries often intervene as arbiters “where there's heightened political tensions”.
The Bigger Picture: A Turning Point for the “Coup Belt”?
This event is a critical test case for West Africa. In recent years, ECOWAS has issued strong condemnations and imposed sanctions following coups in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with limited success. The Benin operation represents a significant escalation: the first kinetic, rapid-redeployment of the ECOWAS standby force to proactively defeat a coup in progress.
This muscular response underlines a stark new reality: regional institutions and dominant states appear less tolerant of military takeovers and are prepared to use force to stop them. Nigeria’s willingness to deploy airpower within hours sets a precedent that will be studied by potential putschists across the continent.
However, military deterrence alone cannot address the root causes. As the International Crisis Group’s Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim observed, coup attempts are partly driven by governments seen as rejecting their democratic responsibilities. While Talon is stepping down, the invalidated opposition candidacy and pre-election tensions provided fertile ground for instability.
What Comes Next: Implications for Benin and the Region
The immediate aftermath will see a tightened security posture in Benin and a likely purge within the military ranks. Politically, Talon’s government will frame the event as an attack on democratic continuity, justified by the successful restoration of order.
The long-term implications are more complex:
· For Benin: The failed coup paradoxically weakens immediate threats but exposes deep vulnerabilities. Managing military grievances, ensuring a credible electoral process in April, and addressing northern insecurity are now even more pressing.
· For ECOWAS and Nigeria: The operation is a tactical success but a strategic gamble. It reasserts regional authority but also risks accusations of overreach. The precedent of cross-border military action, even when invited, will be debated intensely.
· For the Region: The message is clear: attempting a coup now carries the real risk of immediate military confrontation with a regional coalition. Whether this deters future attempts or simply makes plotters more cautious and secretive remains to be seen.
The events of December 7, 2025, demonstrate that the battle for West Africa’s political future is being fought on two fronts: against the immediate threat of soldiers in television studios, and against the slower-burning crises of governance, equity, and security that put them there in the first place. Nigeria’s jets may have won the day, but the deeper war for stability continues.
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