The coup was led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, a former member of the Presidential Guard. The mutineers cited grievances over security in northern Benin and alleged neglect of soldiers’ families.
Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has described the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Benin Republic by the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government as a serious constitutional breach that threatens the country’s democratic framework.
The deployment follows a failed coup attempt in Benin Republic on 7 December 2025, when a group of soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (MCR) seized state television and announced the removal of the President, suspending the constitution.
The coup was led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, a former member of the Presidential Guard. The mutineers cited grievances over security in northern Benin and alleged neglect of soldiers’ families.
In response to the coup, Nigeria deployed fighter jets and ground troops to assist loyalist forces, targeting seized military installations.
The regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also mobilised a standby force including troops from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Sierra Leone to support the constitutional government.
Loyalist forces regained control within hours, while the coup leader remained at large. President Patrice Talon later appeared on national television to declare the situation under control.
Yesufu in a statement on Tuesday said the troops deployment demonstrates growing executive overreach in Nigeria.
She said “There is a reason why there is a clear separation of powers. Unfortunately, the judiciary and the legislative arm have emasculated themselves leaving the executive branch to do as it pleases. The actions taken by Mr Tinubu are a threat to our democracy and the principles of federalism.
"They are a ploy towards a unilateral government, where the executive branch wields absolute power without accountability. That, we must not allow it to happen. We must not allow our country to slide into authoritarianism.”
She also warned that “Mr Tinubu is steadily weakening the constitutional role of the National Assembly, which exists to prevent executive overreach and by so doing weakening democracy.”
Yesufu also raised concerns about potential domestic misuse of security forces, asking “If Mr Tinubu can deploy troops abroad without the consent of the national Assembly, what stops him from using the military domestically against dissent without oversight and we will end up with a militarised democracy.”
Criticising the deployment’s wider impact, she said “Nigeria is not a personal fiefdom. Our armed forces are not Tinubu's private militia to dispatch on whims. This brazen act endangers our sovereignty, exposes our troops to unnecessary peril, and drains resources we desperately need at home.”
According to Yesufu, “This action is not just about the Benin Republic. It is about Tinubu testing the boundaries of executive power.”
She further said “A man who says he is fighting democracy in another country is busy undermining democracy in ‘his’ country.”
The activist urged lawmakers to intervene, saying “I call on the National Assembly to find courage and assert its constitutional authority and protect Nigeria’s democracy.”
She concluded by warning that Nigeria “cannot afford to slide into dictatorship under the guise of regional solidarity,” insisting that democratic institutions must be protected from further erosion.