Failed coup attempt: Talon receives Nigerian military at the Marina Palace

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This meeting at the Palais de la Marina expresses the Nation’s official gratitude toward Abuja, whose forces played a decisive role in restoring constitutional order.

Leading the delegation, General J.B. Sheriff received the head of state’s thanks for the intervention of the “Army of the Giant of the East,” as the presidency called it, which, alongside Beninese forces, helped neutralize the attackers and safeguard republican institutions.

This military cooperation is part of a broader regional framework supporting democracy, notably through coordination among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the response to the coup.

The Nigerian general, for his part, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to support Benin in consolidating peace and defending institutional integrity in the sub-region.

This bilateral meeting underscores the importance of strategic relations between Cotonou and Abuja, particularly in the face of cross-border security challenges affecting West Africa.

President Talon and his guests discussed lessons to be learned from the recent crisis, emphasizing future cooperation on security and the prevention of such attempts. The Nigerian military presence had been deployed at the request of the Beninese government to support the response of loyalist forces and help foil the insurgency, notably through air strikes and coordinated operations on the ground.

In a context where attempts to overthrow governments are multiplying in the region, this formal reception signals Benin’s determination to strengthen the integrity of its institutions and to enhance regional security partnerships.