Nigerian human rights advocate Francis Nwapa has attributed the recent military coup in the Republic of Benin to Nigeria’s waning regional influence and governance failures.

Military officers in Benin, led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, claimed to have removed President Patrice Talon and dissolved state institutions. Nwapa argued that Nigeria’s political instability, economic decline, and weakening democratic values have reduced its stature in West Africa, creating a vacuum that emboldens military interventions.

Nwapa highlighted the impact of Nigeria’s economic troubles, including the declining naira, on neighboring countries, noting that West Africans who previously relied on Nigeria for trade and stability now feel disenchanted.

He warned that unless Nigeria’s leadership reforms, the consequences could escalate both domestically and regionally, emphasizing that Nigeria’s once-respected position as a stabilizing force in Africa has been eroded.