KEY POINTS
- Nigeria’s regional security role was highlighted after troops helped counter a coup.
- Defence Minister urges stronger joint operations across military branches.
- Coup attempt in Benin collapses after security forces repel mutineers.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has commended the country’s Armed Forces for what he described as a decisive and professional response to last Sunday’s attempted coup in the Republic of Benin.
He said the intervention underscored the military’s responsibility to remain alert to fast-moving regional threats.
Speaking in Abuja at the decoration of newly promoted senior Army officers, Musa said the events in Benin offered a clear reminder that instability in West Africa can unfold without warning and requires readiness across the region’s security architecture.
Nigeria’s regional security role tested again
The minister said Nigeria’s regional security role demanded 24-hour vigilance, noting that the prompt intervention helped stop the mutineers from seizing power. He urged the officers to internalize the lesson that no arm of the military can operate in isolation, stressing that Nigeria’s security landscape now requires tighter integration across services.
“Jointness and inter-service cooperation are indispensable,” he said. “Nigerians demand results, and time is of the essence. We must therefore do things differently and more effectively.”
A coup attempt and a call for cooperation
Earlier, Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu said the country remains essential to preserving stability in West Africa and must continue supporting coordinated regional efforts against violent extremism and political upheaval. He told the promoted officers that their responsibilities carry consequences for Nigeria’s regional security role as well as its internal cohesion.
Shaibu further reiterated that the Army’s loyalty to constitutional order remains non-negotiable, adding that newly elevated officers must demonstrate strategic foresight and operational discipline. He urged officers who did not receive promotions to remain patient and reminded them that the military promotes based on merit.
The coup attempt in Benin began early Sunday when armed mutineers attacked the presidential residence. Security forces repelled the assault, prompting the group to storm the state broadcaster, Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, in a failed bid to control the airwaves.
Following the incident, President Bola Tinubu authorised the deployment of Nigerian troops to support Benin, saying the move aligned with ECOWAS protocols on democracy and regional defence.
