Abubakar Hashim
The coup attempt in Benin today has all the trappings of the failed coup attempt by Major Gideon Okar, against Gen Ibrahim Babangida in Nigeria in 1990.
Similar to the failed Okar coup in Nigeria, the failed Col Pascal Tigri -led Benin coup was thwarted and foiled for two strategically related reasons:
1. A coup fails when there are cracks within military formations and divisions. This happens during planning, leading to failed execution of the coup
2. Capture or seizing a radio station to announce a coup do not determine the success of a coup.
Recall the failed Okar coup in 1990. The coup plotters had seized the Federal Radio Station at Ikoyi. Amazingly, vehicles were still plying on the roads when coup was foiled.
The Benin coup today bears all the hallmarks of the Okar coup in Nigeria.
Benin Interior Minister, Allasane Seidu announced the coup has failed. The coup leader, Col Pascal Tigri is currently on the run, while some of his members have been arrested.
Their prime target was to assassinate President Patrice Talon, similar to Okar target on former President Ibrahim Babangida. Both targets failed. With Talon, there was heavy resistance by the Presidential guard, while with Babangida, Major UK Bello, Babangida’s ADC, was killed to save his boss.
ECOWAS has issued a statement denouncing the coup attempt and a standby force will be deployed soon
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