A former spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Sani Usman (retd.), has defended the Federal Government’s decision to deploy troops to the Benin Republic following the failed coup attempt in the Francophone West African nation.
Speaking on The Morning Brief on Channels Television on Wednesday, Usman said Nigeria was duty-bound to respond swiftly, particularly since the intervention was at the request of the Benin government.
“Now, the problem, any slightest problem in any of these countries has corresponding consequences on Nigeria, regardless of the fact that sometimes some of the countries are not even as populous as a state out of the 36 states of the federation,” he stated.
Usman warned that a crisis in Benin could spill into Nigeria, affecting everything from internal security to economic stability.
He said, “Take, for instance, if there is any problem, the issue of a humanitarian problem, for instance. How do we contend with refugees from the Benin Republic?”
“There is also an understanding in terms of commerce, trading, and all the rest of it. It will affect the economy and the rest.”
The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin, citing Section 5, Part II of the Constitution as the legal basis for the move.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the intervention as necessary to secure regional stability.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” Akpabio said during plenary.
However, the move has drawn criticism from sections of the public, who argue that Nigeria should focus on its internal security challenges rather than export military aid.
Despite the backlash, Usman maintained that Nigeria’s involvement was not just to quell the coup attempt but to help restore and stabilise democratic governance in the region.
He said, “People should understand the reason why there is a need to stabilise democratic governance in that country. Beyond the initial intervention of quelling the coup, there is also a need to stabilise the Benin Republic.”
He further warned of the growing influence of external forces on the continent, noting that “most of these Western countries are fighting proxy wars on the African continent, especially in the Sahel and all the rest.”
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