ABUJA — Nigeria has deployed troops to neighbouring Benin as part of a coordinated regional security operation aimed at countering terrorism, cross-border insurgency, and organized crime across West Africa, military officials said.
The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, during the 2026 Army Conference in Abuja, where senior defence officials and regional partners gathered to discuss escalating security threats in the subregion.
Shaibu said the deployment forms part of broader efforts to strengthen military cooperation between Nigeria and Benin, particularly along their shared border, which has increasingly been affected by militant movements, arms trafficking, and smuggling networks.
He said the operation would focus on intelligence sharing, joint patrols, and coordinated counter-terrorism actions, stressing that “no single country can effectively address the evolving security threats alone.”
Military sources said the deployment is expected to enhance rapid-response capacity in border areas and improve surveillance of routes used by armed groups operating between coastal West Africa and the Sahel.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has for years been engaged in counter-insurgency operations against extremist groups, including those linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates operating in the wider Lake Chad Basin region. Security officials say these threats have increasingly spilled across borders, requiring closer regional coordination.
The government of Benin has not yet issued a detailed public statement on the troop deployment, but both countries have previously conducted joint security exercises under regional frameworks.
Analysts say the move reflects Nigeria’s growing role as a security guarantor in West Africa, as states in the region struggle to contain armed groups taking advantage of porous borders and weak state presence in rural areas.
The development comes amid broader regional concern over rising instability in parts of the Sahel and coastal West Africa, where governments continue to face pressure from insurgent activity and transnational criminal networks.
