Nigerian jets, acting with Benin’s approval under ECOWAS protocols, struck convoys of fleeing coup plotters seeking escape routes after a failed mutiny.
Nigeria has carried out a series of coordinated airstrikes against fleeing members of a failed military coup in the Benin Republic, acting with the approval of Beninese authorities under a regional security mandate. The strikes, launched Sunday by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), targeted convoys allegedly transporting loyalists of coup leader Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri as they attempted to escape toward southern Benin.
Senior security officials said the operation was executed after intelligence indicated that key figures behind the attempted takeover were moving in armored vehicles and seeking potential exit routes near coastal areas. Nigerian fighter jets reportedly crossed into Benin’s airspace under a joint arrangement with Cotonou designed to contain the mutiny and prevent its organizers from regrouping.
“The mission was carefully coordinated with Benin’s leadership,” a senior security source told reporters. “The priority was to stop the fleeing elements from reorganizing while supporting efforts to restore order after the failed putsch.”
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Witnesses in parts of Cotonou recounted hearing loud explosions and seeing smoke rising from the outskirts of the city, prompting speculation that foreign aircraft were involved. Local officials did not immediately comment on the blasts, though regional news outlets reported heightened military activity throughout the day.
Agence France-Presse reported that Nigerian aircraft struck their targets in what appeared to be a deliberate effort to reinforce Benin’s security forces as they moved to stabilize the situation. The air operation is believed to have lasted roughly 30 minutes and involved multiple precision strikes on moving vehicles.
Nigerian Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame confirmed that the mission took place “in line with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), protocols and the ECOWAS Standby Force mandate,” describing the operation as part of broader regional cooperation to deter unconstitutional power grabs in West Africa.
Security officials said several armored vehicles were disabled and escape routes cut off, though no official casualty figures have been released. One official familiar with the mission emphasized that all flights were approved by Beninese authorities and conducted with strict measures to avoid civilian areas.
The strikes followed an attempted takeover led by Lt. Col. Tigri and his faction, known as the Military Committee for Refoundation, which sought to dissolve state institutions and seize control of the country. Benin’s loyalist forces reacted swiftly, pushing back the coup attempt and forcing some plotters to flee south before being intercepted from the air.
