By Muhammad Mamman
President Bola Tinubu was notably absent on Thursday as heads of state and government from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened in Abuja to deliberate on an alleged coup attempt in the Republic of Benin.
The emergency meeting, attended by regional leaders, diplomats and senior security officials, focused on assessing the security and political implications of the reported plot and charting a collective response to safeguard constitutional order in the sub-region.
Nigeria, which currently plays a leading role within ECOWAS, was represented by senior government officials, though no official explanation was immediately given for President Tinubu’s absence. Sources within the Presidency indicated that deliberations were proceeding as scheduled, with Nigeria maintaining active engagement in the discussions.
Briefing the meeting, ECOWAS officials underscored the bloc’s zero-tolerance stance on unconstitutional changes of government, reaffirming its commitment to democratic governance, regional stability and the rule of law.
The leaders also reviewed intelligence reports on the situation in Benin Republic and considered possible diplomatic and security measures to deter further threats to democratic institutions in the region.
The outcome of the closed-door meeting is expected to be communicated in a formal communiqué later, outlining ECOWAS’ position and any agreed steps to address the unfolding situation.
