Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and his Benin Republic counterpart, Olushegun Bakar, met on Thursday in Abuja.
Both ministers met at the office of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, where they reflected on the recent attempted coup in the Republic of Benin and the escalating security concerns across the region.
According to Tuggar, much of Nigeria’s insecurity is exogenous, explaining that Nigeria and Benin share very close ties, and whatever happens in one country inevitably triggers ripple effects in the other.
He said it is the reason a coordinated regional response is no longer optional.
The both ministers stressed the already strong working relationship between the two countries and agreed that deeper cooperation remains essential for stability.
On his part, Bakar stated that the events in Benin a few days ago proved that democracy still holds firm in Africa.
He appreciated the support that helped quell the spread of the attempted coup, commending Nigeria for responding quickly when Benin requested ECOWAS intervention.
According to him, the request for Nigerian troops was necessary because the coup plotters had positioned themselves in a very delicate zone, adding that what was needed was precise aerial backup to carry out a surgical operation that targeted the enemy’s key positions without risking civilian casualties.
The minister equally emphasized the importance of establishing a standby regional force to prevent future destabilization attempts.
“The synergy that already exists between Nigeria and Benin played a crucial role in restoring stability, and the situation in Benin is now fully under control,” he said.
