UN secretary-general António Guterres has expressed deep concern over the attempt to unconstitutionally seize power in the Republic of Benin.

Guterres, in a statement, condemned any attempt to undermine democratic governance in Benin, which he said could further threaten the region’s stability.

The UN chief, however, called for full respect for the rule of law and the Constitution.

“Our Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, is actively engaging with national authorities and other stakeholders, as well as regional and international partners, to support efforts to restore peace and stability in Benin,’’ he said.

Mr Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting national and regional institutions in safeguarding constitutional order in the country and across the region.

To this end, he said, it was also working closely with ECOWAS and the African Union to promote a regional approach.

Meanwhile,  Benin’s President Patrice Talon has thanked army leaders for helping to defeat an attempted military coup in the West African nation.

On Sunday morning, a group of soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation seized control of state television and announced that the government had been dissolved.

Just hours later, the minister of interior said the takeover attempt had been “foiled”.

The coup attempt is the latest in a string of military takeovers and attempted takeovers that have rocked West Africa.

In November, a military coup in Guinea-Bissau removed former President Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.

The regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, said it ordered the deployment of troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana to support Benin’s army to “preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin”.

ECOWAS earlier called the attempted coup “a subversion of the will of the people of Benin”.

President Bola Tinubu praised the Nigerian armed forces for their involvement in restoring the government in Benin.

In a statement, the Nigerian government said Benin’s government made two separate requests for air and ground forces.

“It took some hours before the government’s loyal forces, assisted by Nigeria, took control and flushed out the coup plotters from the National TV,” said the statement. 

(NAN)