AfriPulse
Deji Adeyanju
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has hailed President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Armed Forces for what he described as a “decisive and commendable intervention” that helped halt the attempted coup in the Republic of Benin.
Adeyanju, in a statement shared with THE WHISTLER on Monday, said Nigeria’s swift response demonstrated the country’s firm commitment to defending democratic governance in the West African sub-region.
“I commend President Bola Tinubu and the gallant Nigerian Armed Forces for their decisive intervention that halted the attempted coup in the Republic of Benin,” he said.
Nigeria had deployed fighter jets and, through ECOWAS, rejected any attempt to truncate democratic rule in Benin and warned of dire consequences should the coup plotters succeed.
The swift move to stop the coup has received support even among the country’s opposition, who rejected another military coup in one of the contiguous states to Nigeria after the coup in Niger Republic a few years ago.
Nigeria is Benin’s largest trade partner and they share land borders that allow free flow of human and vehicular movements.
Benin also has a large Nigerian population and shares strong cultural ties with the Yoruba, who make up the South-West part of Nigeria.
Nigeria sees any coup in Benin as likely to create a domino effect, especially as its northern neighbour is under a military junta.
Adeyanju said the quick response to ensure unbroken civil rule is not only about Nigeria’s might but also a warning to coup mongers and apologists that the time for coups is over.
Describing the action as a source of national pride, Adeyanju noted that Nigerians who value democratic rule should see the event as a major victory for stability in the region.
“This is truly a proud moment for me as a Nigerian who loves democracy and understands the dangers of military rule,” he stated.
Adeyanju added that Nigeria’s position should serve as a warning to anti-democratic forces across the Sahel.
“Let this stand as a clear signal to all who seek to undermine democracy in the Sahel that their days are numbered,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government and security agencies to apply similar resolve in tackling insecurity within Nigeria, particularly terrorism.
“The same might displayed in Benin should be applied with even greater resolve to crush the terrorist groups operating within our borders so that Nigeria can truly lead by example,” Adeyanju added.
Source: TheWhistler | Read the Full Story…
