Nigeria has withdrawn its fighter aircraft earlier deployed to the Benin Republic after authorities confirmed that stability had returned to the neighbouring country following an attempted military takeover on Sunday.
The information was obtained from Zagazola Makama, who reported that the aircraft sent from Lagos for surveillance and regional monitoring were recalled on Monday afternoon after updated intelligence showed that the situation had been contained and posed “no immediate threat to Nigeria’s territorial security.”
READ ALSO: Niger Coup: Russia warns ECOWAS not to take military action
According to the report, loyalist forces in Benin Republic successfully halted the coup plot aimed at toppling President Patrice Talon. The unrest began in the early hours of Sunday when mutineers attempted to seize control of key state institutions.
The rebels first launched an assault on the presidential residence in Cotonou but were pushed back by security personnel. After failing to take control of the presidency, the group stormed the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, taking over the national broadcast station.
Security agencies quickly moved to counter the threat, with the National Guard and other loyal forces surrounding the broadcasting complex and cutting off the mutineers’ access. By late Sunday, major government facilities had been secured, and order had largely been restored in the capital.
“The situation is under control. The National Guard has everything surrounded,” a senior security official said, speaking anonymously due to the nature of the operation.
Local reports, including updates from 24 Hours In Benin, indicated that the mutineers remained inside the broadcast building as negotiations continued for a peaceful surrender.
President Patrice Talon was confirmed safe at an undisclosed location, though he had yet to address the nation publicly. There were no reports of widespread violence in Cotonou, and the atmosphere was described as tense but generally calm after the initial chaos.
The government of Benin Republic is expected to release an official statement with additional details about the incident and the identities of those involved.
