Benin President Visits Tinubu Amid Security Ties

President Bola Tinubu has hosted his Benin Republic counterpart, Romuald Wadagni, at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos on Monday, June 1, in a private visit that comes months after Nigeria deployed military assets to help thwart a coup attempt in the neighbouring country.

Wadagni, who was sworn in on Sunday, May 24, made the visit to the Nigerian president at his country home, according to Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy.

The visit follows Nigeria’s military intervention in Benin Republic on December 7 and 8, 2025, when the Tinubu administration deployed fighter jets and troops to help loyalist forces restore democratic institutions after a coup attempt against then-President Patrice Talon.

The private nature of the visit and the absence of an official agenda from either presidency has left the purpose of the meeting unclear. Onanuga described it as a private visit, though security collaboration between both nations remains an active area of engagement.

Reactions from Nigerian citizens on social media have been mixed, with some commending Tinubu for demonstrating regional leadership and statesmanship, while others criticised the president for what they described as prioritising neighbouring countries over domestic security challenges, including the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State.

As of the time of this report, the presidency had not issued further details on whether any bilateral agreements or security discussions took place during the meeting.