Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the failed coup attempt in the Benin Republic, describing it as a dangerous trend.
Atiku, in a personally signed statement made available to Naijaonpoint on Sunday, said decisive action must be taken to crush the growing appetite of the military in subverting democracy in Africa.
He made the call in his reaction to reports that Military officers in the Benin Republic have taken control of the federal government.
Recall that a group of soldiers on Sunday Morning, December 7, 2025, announced the dissolution of the current government during a national broadcast.
The group, which labels itself the Military Committee for Refoundation, said the president, all political officeholders, and all state institutions have been effectively removed.
However, Atiku said the reckless trend of assault on democracy in Africa in the form of coups must be controlled.
He added that the trend must be stopped before it grows further.
“I condemn, without reservation and in the strongest possible terms, the coup d’état in the Benin Republic. This reckless trend of assault on constitutional order is utterly unacceptable, not only because of its dangerous proximity, but because the era of military interference in governance is long over in Africa and our sub-region. It is concerning that these coups are happening around election times in the affected countries.
“The Benin presidential election is scheduled for April 2026 while the purported military take over in Guinea-Bissau happened on the eve of the expected announcement of the results of that country’s poll. It raises fears that some political operators may be using the military to cancel the democratic processes. This trend is dangerous for the health of democracy in the West African sub-region and must be stopped before it becomes the rule and not the exception.
“Soldiers have no business anywhere outside their barracks, and every decisive measure must be taken to crush any emerging appetite for subverting democracy,” Atiku wrote.
Meanwhile, the reported military coup in the Republic of Benin appears to be rapidly collapsing, according to an official statement from the Presidency.
President Patrice Talon is confirmed to be safe, and his office insists that the regular army is regaining control of the situation.
Speaking to AFP on Sunday, the presidency downplayed the attempt led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who had declared himself head of the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) on state television.
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