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FG kicks off process to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Sudan

Published

3 years ago

April 23, 2023

FG kicks off process to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Sudan

The Federal Government has set in motion the process of evacuating back home Nigerians who are currently stranded in war-torn Sudan, The Nation learnt last night.

About 4,000 Nigerian students are trapped in the country where a bloody confrontation between loyalists of the de facto president and commander-in-chief of the army, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his rival and former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, have claimed at least 418 lives in the last one week.

No fewer than a million other Nigerians reside permanently there.

The Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum is said to have started compiling the names of those willing to leave the troubled country.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also announced the setting up of a committee to work out ways of evacuating the Nigerians.

The compilation of the names, it was gathered, would guide government in determining the kind of plane to send for the operation.

Almost all the airports have been closed on account of the fighting.

“One thing about evacuation is the fact that not everybody would want to leave, and that is why dedicated phone numbers were given for contact,” a source knowledgeable about the evacuation plan said.

“But I can tell you that the process is already on and people have started submitting names for evacuation.”

The source said the current window for evacuation for now is 72 hours.

“However, the government is exploring every way to ensure the safety of Nigerians in Sudan,” the source said.

Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the evacuation was delayed because of the high level of insecurity in the country with several aircraft already burnt by the fighting troops.

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Gabriel Odu spokesman of NIDCOM quoted Dabiri-Erewa as saying even humanitarian groups are seeking ways of getting food, water and medicals across to people.

She said: “While the Nigerian Mission in Sudan and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have put in place arrangements to evacuate Nigerian students and other Nigerian citizens stranded in Sudan, the tensed situation makes it gravely risky and impossible for any flights at this point in time.”

Al-Burhan confirmed yesterday that he was open to the evacuation of citizens and diplomatic representatives from the embattled country.

A Saudi Arabian delegation has already been evacuated from the eastern city of Port Sudan, he said, while a Jordanian delegation was due to be flown out of Port Sudan last night.

NEMA sets up committee on evacuation

NEMA said in Abuja that the committee comprising professional emergency responders, search and rescue experts is saddled with the responsibility of constantly evaluating the situation and seeking the safest way to evacuate the trapped Nigerians.

It did not rule out evacuation through any of Sudan’s neighbouring countries.

Spokesman for the agency, Manzo Ezekiel, said it was in constant communication with all relevant partners including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, and security agencies to find the best approach to the planned evacuation.

It, however, noted that the current emergency in Sudan is very complex with fighting between warring factions going on and all airports and land borders closed.

“NEMA is working assiduously with all its partners and is constantly compiling updated information on the situation,” he said.

He quoted NEMA Director General Mustapha Ahmed as saying that the agency was on top of the situation and “working on all possible options” to bring home the stranded Nigerians in a safe and dignified manner.

Nothing must happen to stranded Nigerians, AYCF tells FG

The FG plan came as the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) urged immediate evacuation of the stranded Nigerians in Sudan.

National President of AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, said in a statement in Kaduna that the excuse from the Nigerian Embassy that it would be difficult to evacuate the citizens was unacceptable.

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He said the AYCF would hold the Nigerian Embassy accountable should any harm come upon the Nigerians, especially those schooling in the country.

Yerima said: “As concerned Nigerians who are very uncomfortable with the fate of Nigerians trapped in Sudan due to ongoing war and killings, we feel duty bound to unequivocally state our final stand on this bloodshed and arson.

“It is totally unacceptable that while several countries were evacuating their citizens from Sudan, ours is the only African nation giving excuses.

“With thousands of Nigerians in Sudan, especially male and female Northern students being the majority, we reject the lame excuse given in a letter by the Nigeria Embassy about the difficulty of evacuating our sons and daughters. No Northerner in this country is at peace since the killings and arson started in Sudan.

“We are aware that the Sudanese government had already warned that the situation would escalate, and gave a 72 hour ultimatum for countries whose citizens are either doing business or schooling in that country to be evacuated.

“We cannot fathom why all we get at the moment is the excuse by our Embassy that doing so would be difficult. What held us from taking advantage of the 72 hours ultimatum in the first place?

“It is abundantly clear that lives are now at stake, especially for our Northern brothers and sisters schooling in Sudan, considering the escalation of this war that involves the use of heavy-duty incendiary.

“As a group, we wish to make it categorically clear that if our innocent Northern brothers and sisters schooling in Sudan get killed in this war, we shall hold the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan accountable.

“We wish to emphasize that on no account should these young and innocent Nigerians be left to their own devices, because they have a fatherland that has the constitutional and legal responsibility to protect the lives of citizens anywhere they are on this planet.”

One of the stranded Nigerian students, Hussein Musa Yusuf, told Daily Trust on the phone that the fighting had caused scarcity of water, food, electricity and other basic amenities.

Yusuf, a native indigene of Kano State, spoke of the danger they were exposed to if they were not quickly repatriated because they had no access to health centres and pharmacies.

He was quoted as saying: “Many students are stranded in their hostels and houses without basic needs of life such as food, water and electricity.

“Presently, there is no access to hospitals and pharmacies. There is a risk if they go out because there is shooting and civilian casualties have been recorded.”

Stranded British-Sudanese doctor: ‘I’m tired. I’m just really, really tired’

A British-Sudanese doctor who got stuck in the country while visiting family to celebrate the Eid el Fitri narrated her ordeal to the CNN.

Her words: “I’m tired. I’m just really, really tired. Exhausted is the right word for it; burnt out. There’s just so much adrenaline.

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“We were happy about the 24-hour ceasefire [earlier in the week], which was extended, not because there actually was a ceasefire, but there was spacing out between the attacks.

“[On Thursday] we all just felt really tired, we were still fasting in the midst of all of this, and everybody’s sentiment was Ramadan just has to come to an end.

“I prepared supper, made some sunny side up eggs, trying to make something nice out of a can of tuna. I tried to moisten some stale bread.

“Very late at night, we heard, I don’t know what they were, missiles maybe?

“My dad has quite limited mobility because he’s sick. He’s been lying sleeping on this sofa bed. We just had to just push him from the living room where he has been sleeping to a safer area where there was a wall covering rather than just windows.

“My cousin is also with us. My daughter was absolutely mortified and just inconsolable. My 96-year-old grandmother was in a room behind the place we were sheltering in. She could hear the shelling, she can feel the shaking, the sound coming into the house but I downplayed it for her. My mother was there as well. My sister.

“We also have with us domestic helpers. There’s one from Kenya. She’s not Muslim so I started reading the Lord’s Prayer with her. I thought maybe it will bring her some solace and reassurance to know that she’s not alone.

“We also have a couple of Ethiopian house helpers, and they were very scared. I kept thinking to myself, these poor people, they flee their countries to come to a place like Sudan, far from their families, to make money to send to them or to go to a safer place and this is what happens to them. It just seems so, so unfair.

“I think there were two or three very, very loud thuds that were very close to the house. We just started reading [the] Quran, praying that we were going to be safe trying to calm the children. I wish I was an octopus so [I] have more hands, hands and arms to put around people just to hug them.

“[Friday] has been a blur. I didn’t hear any of the Eid call to prayers, which is one of the things that usually fills me with a lot of joy. It’s one of the main reasons I came from the UK because I just wanted to have a nice fast with family and here it is. All the Eid clothes are in the bag. The nail polish, the hair stuff. I didn’t even put my mascara on. So it’s a really sad day.

“A lot of people are fleeing. There are a lot of people offering places on buses to go to Egypt. Ours is a logistical nightmare. It’s a big family and each person or each group of people or household has different requirements. Moving [my grandmother] is not going to be like moving my eight-year-old nephew.

“My brother’s daughter has certain health needs. She needs access to certain medications. My mother, my father, my grandmother and my sister, they also would all feel very poorly, or maybe not even survive if they don’t have their medications.

“We try to be positive. We try to play games, we try to watch movies, but our attention span has just completely gone. No one can sit and watch a movie.

“I focus on the good stuff: we have oil, we have electricity, we have running water because the water tank is working. We have cars in the driveway but no petrol for them.

“I’m avoiding the news. Statements by both parties seem to have the same author: I am your savior and victor. I know they are both untruthful, manipulative, blood thirsty men with no regard for the dignity nor lives of the people they are paid to serve and protect.”

As at yesterday, the army was in control of all airports in the country except those in Khartoum and the town of Njala in the South Dafur region

Al-Burhan told Arabic television station Al-Arabiya that he remained in control of the army and would only let his rival Daglo, the leader of the powerful paramilitary group RSF, get away “in a coffin.”

Fighting broke out in Sudan about a week ago between the country’s two most powerful generals and their respective military units.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 413 people have lost their lives and more than 3,500 have been injured since the fighting began.

The airport in the capital Khartoum has been at the centre of the fighting and was therefore inaccessible. Diplomats have been trying for days to secure a resilient ceasefire for the evacuation of foreign citizens.

After a brief ceasefire on Friday due to the Eid el-Fitri, fighting continued overnight.

Yesterday morning, Khartoum was bombed again, a reporter at the scene told the German Press agency DPA. Shots rang out in the city, and eyewitnesses writing on Twitter reported explosions in the capital.

The ceasefire largely held during the night, the reporter said. There were only “sporadic clashes.”

The US embassy in Khartoum said on Saturday that the ongoing fighting and closure of the airport in the capital made it currently impossible to evacuate U.S. citizens.

The embassy continues to closely monitor the situation in Khartoum and surrounding areas, it said in a statement.

Apart from the fighting between the rival forces, there are currently reports of attacks, home invasions and looting.

In addition, the embassy has received incomplete information about convoys travelling from Khartoum towards Port Sudan, it said.

It added that it was not in a position to support convoys, meaning passengers travelled at their own risk, according to the statement.

NLC: Nigerians must not die in Sudan

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast on bringing back the stranded Nigerians from Sudan.

Congress, in a statement yesterday by its President, Joe Ajaero, said: “Nigerians must not be allowed to die in Sudan because of negligence.”

No effort, according to him, should be spared in ensuring their safety and ultimately evacuation to Nigeria if the situation persists and escalates into a full blown war.

He added: “It remains the duty of the government and we urge the federal government to make this happen unless they want to tell us that these lives are not as important as the lives of the children of those in authority and does not deserve to be protected.”

He said the NLC was worried because “many Nigerians have become unwitting victims of the war and are stranded in that country and unable to get out.

“They have cried out for help to escape the horrors which the war has continued to mete out to persons still trapped in Sudan.”

FG kicks off process to evacuate stranded Nigerians in Sudan

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Troops Rescue 92 Kidnapped Civilians, Defuse 3 IEDs in Borno

Published

1 hour ago

May 25, 2026

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Troops Rescue 92 Kidnapped Civilians, Defuse 3 IEDs in Borno

Maiduguri, Nigeria – The military high command has announced that troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have successfully rescued 92 kidnapped civilians and foiled an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) ambush mounted by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists during a swift rescue operation along the Buratai-Kamuya road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State . The operation, executed on Saturday, May 23, 2026, demonstrated the military’s enhanced surveillance capability and combat readiness in the ongoing fight against insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East region.

According to a statement issued by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters, Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the operation followed the detection of terrorists forcibly herding civilians and vehicles off the road into surrounding bushes. The military explained that at approximately 11:22 am, vigilant troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion deployed in Dutse Kura identified the movement of the terrorists through surveillance systems and immediately activated a Quick Reaction Force . Reinforcement troops from the 27 Task Force Brigade Garrison were also mobilized to support the rescue effort, ensuring that sufficient manpower was deployed to overwhelm the terrorist group.

The troops reportedly pursued the terrorists towards the Mangari-Dora general area, engaging them in a fierce firefight that forced the terrorists to abandon their captives and flee in disarray. The military confirmed that all 92 kidnapped victims, comprising 52 males, 33 females, and seven children, were rescued alongside eight vehicles recovered during the operation. The successful rescue came as a significant blow to the terrorist network, which has increasingly resorted to highway abductions as a tactic to disrupt civilian movement and generate revenue through ransom demands.

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As the fleeing terrorists attempted to slow down the advancing troops and prevent the rescue of their captives, they planted three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the Bula Zarma-Mangari axis in what was described as a calculated ambush attempt. However, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of Operation Hadin Kai promptly responded to the threat, detecting and safely detonating all three devices before they could cause any harm. The successful clearance of the IEDs enabled troops to continue their pursuit for approximately five kilometers beyond the Mangari area , demonstrating the military’s ability to overcome terrorist obstacles in real-time.

The military confirmed that subsequent search operations conducted across the area verified that the terrorists had abandoned their captives, vehicles, and operational objectives before fleeing in confusion. Notably, Operation Hadin Kai troops recorded no personnel or equipment casualties throughout the entire rescue operation, a testament to the professionalism and tactical superiority of the Nigerian military forces involved. The rescued civilians were immediately consolidated, provided with welfare support including food, water, and medical attention, and escorted safely to Damaturu, where they were released to continue their journey.

The military noted that the successful operation further demonstrated the operational reach, surveillance capability, and combat readiness of Operation Hadin Kai. The military high command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilians and denying terrorists freedom of action across the North-East Theatre , issuing a stern warning to terrorist groups that attempts to kidnap or intimidate civilians will be met with “swift and overwhelming force.”

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This successful rescue operation comes amid intensified military offensives against terrorist groups in Borno State. Between May 15 and 21, 2026, troops neutralized terrorists during clearance operations in Gwoza Local Government Area and arrested suspected collaborators involved in insurgent logistics. Several terrorists and their family members have also surrendered to troops due to sustained operational pressure, indicating that the military’s strategy of continuous offensives is yielding results.

In a separate operation along the Ngoshe–Amuda axis in Gwoza Local Government Area, troops recently rescued four abducted persons, including a three-year-old child, who had been kidnapped during an attack on the Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026. So far, a total of 65 abducted persons have been rescued in ongoing operations across the theatre, highlighting the military’s sustained focus on hostage rescue as a core component of its counter-insurgency strategy.

Additionally, on May 23, 2026, troops of the 153 Task Force Battalion and allied forces repelled an attack by suspected terrorists who attempted to infiltrate a military position in Kirawa town along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. At least 12 suspected terrorists were killed in the ensuing gunfight, and troops recovered weapons including AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and a machine gun. The successful border defense operation further underscores the military’s ability to secure Nigeria’s international boundaries against terrorist incursions.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria have intensified ongoing military operations across the country, recording significant successes against terrorists, kidnappers, gunrunners, and other criminal elements. Under Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East, troops continue to dismantle insurgent camps, intercept logistics supply routes, recover weapons, and rescue kidnapped victims. The military has urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information on suspicious activities or objects to security agencies, emphasizing that community collaboration remains essential in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

As of May 25, 2026, Operation Hadin Kai maintains its commitment to restoring peace, security, and economic stability in the North-East region, assuring the public that all necessary measures are being taken to neutralize threats and safeguard lives and property. The successful rescue of 92 civilians serves as a clear message that the Nigerian military remains a formidable force against terrorism and will not relent until every captive is freed and every terrorist is brought to justice.

Troops Rescue 92 Kidnapped Civilians, Defuse 3 IEDs in Borno

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BBNaija’s Phyna Exposes Alleged WhatsApp Chats, Accuses VeryDarkMan of Sexual Advances, Retaliation

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13 hours ago

May 24, 2026

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BBNaija’s Phyna Exposes Alleged WhatsApp Chats, Accuses VeryDarkMan of Sexual Advances, Retaliation

Former Big Brother Naija winner Phyna has released screenshots of alleged WhatsApp conversations in which social activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) appears to make crude sexual advances toward her, including a message that read: “If we fuck, fine; if we don’t, bye.” The reality star, whose full name is Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, accused the outspoken online critic of later turning against her after she rejected his overtures.

In the screenshots shared via her official social media handles, a contact saved as “Vdmmmm” sent a series of sexually explicit texts. Among them: “Growing up I just say I’m sexually attracted to you,” “I always add sexually,” and “Make we fuck.” Phyna’s responses in the chat show her declining the alleged request. She replied: “I wasn’t interested” and accused the activist of lying and manipulation.

Phyna further claimed that after she turned him down, VeryDarkMan weaponized unrelated personal matters to damage her public image. “All this time I’ve been saying you lied, you refused to reply,” she wrote. “Can’t wait for your downfall because you are EVIL.” She also alleged that VDM involved a mutual contact—referred to as “friend blacky”—to pressure her, and later exploited a controversy involving her sister and a Dangote truck accident as a means of retaliation. “The worst lie a man can tell is to lie to someone to get their feelings,” Phyna wrote. “You choose my sister’s birthday of all days to divert attention.”

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The leaked exchanges have ignited fierce debate online. Some social media users condemned the circulation of private chats, while others argued that the messages, if authentic, reveal a pattern of coercive and manipulative behavior. As of press time, VeryDarkMan had not issued any formal response to the specific WhatsApp screenshots or the allegations of romantic advances. His representatives could not be reached for comment.

The controversy adds to a growing list of public confrontations between Nigerian celebrities and online activists. Phyna had previously sought VDM’s help regarding a legal issue involving her sister, but that relationship has since collapsed. Observers note that allegations involving rejected advances followed by online retaliation often raise serious questions about privacy, consent, and the misuse of digital influence.

While the screenshots have circulated widely, no independent forensic verification of the WhatsApp exchanges has been conducted. Both parties have not provided call recordings or additional metadata to authenticate the timeline of messages. The development remains a he-said-she-said dispute, though Phyna has urged the public to review the chats and draw their own conclusions.

BBNaija’s Phyna Exposes Alleged WhatsApp Chats, Accuses VeryDarkMan of Sexual Advances, Retaliation

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Nigerian Troops Deployed to Cotonou as Benin Republic Swears in President Wadagni

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15 hours ago

May 24, 2026

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Nigerian Troops Deployed to Cotonou as Benin Republic Swears in President Wadagni

COTONOU – Nigerian military personnel have been stationed at key locations across Cotonou, Republic of Benin, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Romuald Wadagni, which began at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, marking a significant political transition for the West African nation. Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagozola Makama, citing informed sources, disclosed that Nigerian Army troops were positioned as part of the frontline security architecture for the event. The deployment is aimed at protecting the inauguration venue and other vulnerable and strategic locations within Benin’s commercial hub. “The deployment forms part of coordinated regional security measures aimed at ensuring a peaceful and hitch-free inauguration ceremony expected to attract high-profile dignitaries, heads of government, diplomats and foreign delegations from across Africa and beyond,” Makama said.

The deployment of Nigerian soldiers to Benin Republic follows an official announcement by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who disclosed that troops were deployed under Operations Atileyin Alaafia 1 and 2 to defend democracy, ensure security, and support peaceful electoral processes in the West African sub-region. Speaking at the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference 2026 in Abuja on Monday, May 18, 2026, Shaibu stated: “Consequently, we have continued to disrupt criminals network, degrade adversary capabilities and restore relative calm in previously volatile areas. We are also not oblivious of the security situation around our contiguous countries with Nigeria, which necessitate the deployment of troops for Operation Atileyin Alaafia 1 and 2 to restore democracy, ensure security, and the peaceful conduct of elections in the Republic of Benin.” The army chief emphasized the importance of sustaining collaboration among security agencies and regional partners in addressing evolving security threats across the sub-region. “Equally important is the need to deepen joint and interagency cooperation while integrating technology, innovation, and real-time intelligence into our operations,” he added. The Nigerian Army would continue to promote intelligence sharing, strategic partnerships, and collaborative mechanisms designed to deny criminal and terrorist groups freedom of action within Nigeria and across neighbouring countries.

Sources further revealed that security had been reinforced around major roads, public institutions, strategic facilities and the Presidential Palace district in Cotonou ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. Surveillance activities and patrol operations were also stepped up before the commencement of the ceremony. The swearing-in ceremony represents Wadagni’s assumption of a seven-year constitutional term as President of the Republic of Benin. Benin’s official inauguration ceremonies typically follow a traditional state protocol, comprising the official handover of power and transfer of the presidential sash and insignia at the Presidential Palace in Cotonou, followed by a ceremonial motorcade procession to the Charles de Gaulle Stadium in Porto-Novo, the country’s constitutional capital. Wadagni’s running mate, Mariam Chabi Talata, was also sworn in as Vice President during the ceremonies.

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has meanwhile arrived in Cotonou on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the inauguration ceremony. Shettima, accompanied by senior government officials and aides, is participating in the event as a special guest of the Beninese authorities. Upon arrival at the Cardinal Bernadin Gantin International Airport, he was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Benin, S.E.M Olushegun Adjadi Bakari; Ambassador-designate of Nigeria to the Republic of Benin, Amb. Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim; and other senior diplomatic staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Cotonou. In a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, the Nigerian delegation is expected to join other African leaders and international dignitaries attending the ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Cotonou. The statement added that the occasion highlights the enduring diplomatic, economic and socio-cultural relationship between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin. Both countries maintain longstanding bilateral ties built on regional commerce, border management, security cooperation and shared ECOWAS objectives.

The deployment of Nigerian troops to Benin Republic fits within a broader framework of regional security cooperation. The Nigerian government has emphasized that regional peace, stability and deeper integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) remain key priorities for President Tinubu’s administration amid evolving political and security challenges across the sub-region. “Of importance to Nigeria is also the stability, peace, and deepened integration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to which President Tinubu has remained committed since assumption of office despite its challenges,” the Presidency stated. In addition to military deployment, Nigeria has been actively seeking stronger cross-border cooperation mechanisms to tackle terrorism and transnational crime. At a recent ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation meeting in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission emphasized that deeper regional integration would enhance joint security operations, improve resource sharing and promote socio-economic development among border communities across West Africa. The ECOWAS Cross Border Cooperation programme, first adopted by Heads of State and Government in January 2006, provides opportunities for joint security operations capable of guaranteeing peace, security and stability within border areas.

Security analysts note that north-eastern Benin shares a border with north-western Nigeria, where armed jihadist groups have expanded their operations in recent months. The troop deployment follows Senate approval granted in December 2025, when the upper legislative chamber endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin Republic as part of a regional peace-stabilisation mission aimed at protecting democratic institutions and preventing an “unconstitutional seizure” of power. This is not the first time the countries have collaborated on security matters. In February 2026, high-ranking military officials from both countries met in Cotonou to formalise bilateral security cooperation to counter terrorist groups along their shared border, with the security strategy reportedly including coordinating border patrols, sharing intelligence, conducting joint operations, and increasing monitoring of cross-border flows.

Vice President Shettima is expected back in Nigeria after the conclusion of the inauguration events. President Tinubu has repeatedly affirmed Nigeria’s support for regional stability, democratic governance and deeper integration within West Africa. As President Wadagni assumes office for his seven-year term, the presence of Nigerian troops under Operation Atileyin Alaafia 1 and 2 is expected to continue, focusing on restoring democracy, ensuring security, and maintaining peaceful processes in the Republic of Benin.