Nigeria withdraws fighter jets as Benin recovers after failed coup attempt

Nigeria withdraws fighter jets as Benin recovers after failed coup attempt

Nigeria has withdrawn the fighter aircraft it deployed in the Benin Republic following Sunday’s attempted coup, after security assessments confirmed that the situation in the neighbouring country has stabilised. Security sources said the aircraft—initially dispatched from Lagos for surveillance and regional monitoring—were recalled on Sunday afternoon when updated intelligence indicated that the crisis no longer posed “immediate threat to Nigeria’s territorial security.”

The failed coup, aimed at toppling the democratic government of President Patrice Talon, began with an early morning assault on the presidential residence in Cotonou.

Mutinous soldiers, dressed in full military uniform, attempted to seize power but were repelled by loyal forces. Unable to capture the President, the rebels proceeded to take over the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin (ORTB), briefly controlling the national broadcast signal.

The crisis escalated rapidly, but the Beninese National Guard responded decisively, surrounding the television station and blocking the mutineers’ escape routes.

By late Sunday, loyalist security units had secured all major government installations, restoring order across the capital city.

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“The situation is under control. The National Guard has everything surrounded,” a senior security official said, noting that negotiations were initiated to persuade the barricaded mutineers to surrender peacefully.

President Talon, reported safe in an undisclosed location, has yet to address the nation. Meanwhile, the streets of Cotonou remained tense but calm, with no reports of widespread violence or civilian casualties.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed in a statement on X that the coup had collapsed.

“Mutineers in military uniform who attempted to overthrow President Patrice Talon’s democratic government have failed. They seized the National TV after failing to enter the presidential residence,” he wrote.

He added that Colonel Pascal Tigri, the alleged leader of the mutiny, was on the run, while several members of the group had been apprehended.

Benin’s Interior Minister Alassane Seidou also appeared on national television, confirming that the military uprising had been foiled. “Early on Sunday, 7 December 2025, a small group of soldiers launched a mutiny aimed at destabilising the state and its institutions. The armed forces remained loyal to the republic, and their response allowed them to foil the attempt,” he said.

The Beninese government has since urged citizens to resume their normal activities, assuring the public that the security situation remains firmly under control.

Nigeria withdraws fighter jets as Benin recovers after failed coup attempt