Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone has been called upon to send troops as part of a new regional security mission approved by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to help stabilize the Republic of Benin.
The announcement came on Sunday, December 7, 2025, following consultations within ECOWAS’s Mediation and Security Council, composed of Heads of State and Government.
The deployment, authorized by Sierra Leone’s President and current ECOWAS Chair Julius Maada Bio, activates provisions under Article 25(e) of the 1999 ECOWAS Protocol on conflict prevention and peacekeeping. The mission will include personnel from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, working alongside Benin’s government and Republican Army to uphold constitutional order, protect territorial integrity, and reinforce democratic governance.
The move follows an attempted military coup in Benin earlier on Sunday, in which soldiers briefly announced the suspension of the constitution, closure of borders, and seizure of airspace, claiming to have ousted President Patrice Talon. The regular army quickly regained control, and several soldiers involved in the plot were arrested.
ECOWAS condemned the attempted coup as an “unconstitutional move” and warned that plot leaders would be held accountable for any loss of life or property. The African Union also issued a strong denunciation of the coup attempt.
The incident comes amid a wave of political instability in West Africa, including recent coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. ECOWAS has pledged continued monitoring and support for Benin’s democratic institutions.
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