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200 soldiers from Nigeria, other countries arrive Benin for cleanup after failed coup

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Benin’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari said about 200 West African soldiers, mostly from Nigeria and Ivory Coast, were sent to Benin to support the government after a failed coup on Sunday.

The coup attempt collapsed after Nigeria sent fighter jets, which forced the rebel soldiers out of a military base and the state television station, where they had announced they were taking power.

This is the first time officials have confirmed the number of foreign troops involved. It is still unclear whether some of them have since left Benin.

The minister said on Thursday that some regional troops were still in the country to help with “sweep and clean-up” operations.

Security forces are now hunting down those involved in the plot. The leader of the failed coup is believed to have fled to neighbouring Togo.

The rebel soldiers said they acted because they were unhappy with President Patrice Talon’s leadership. They accused him of failing to deal with worsening insecurity in northern Benin.

The West African regional body, Ecowas, sent troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast to protect key locations and stop any further violence.

Nigeria, which borders Benin to the east, said its troops arrived on Sunday and described the coup attempt as a serious attack on democracy.

An Ivory Coast security source told some newspapers that about 50 Ivorian soldiers were part of the regional force.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja alongside Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar Bakari said the coup had already failed by the time Benin asked for help.

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He explained that Benin’s forces had already pushed the rebels back, but needed targeted air support to hit key rebel positions without harming civilians.

Tuggar said quick diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation between Nigeria and Benin helped stop the coup.

Talks are ongoing about how long the regional troops will stay. Bakari said any decision would be made together with Benin’s security forces, whom he praised for their courage.

It is unclear whether French special forces, who reportedly helped loyal troops, are still in the country.

After several successful coups in West Africa in recent years, Ecowas is under pressure and is now showing it will not tolerate the removal of elected governments by force.

Bakari described Ecowas as a vital body for defending democracy in the region.

Benin’s army has suffered losses in recent years near its northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, where jihadist groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda have been active.

President Talon, seen as an ally of Western countries, is expected to step down next year after completing his second term. Elections are scheduled for April.

If the coup had succeeded, it would have been the ninth successful takeover in West Africa in the past five years.

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died after battling an illness.

It was reports that the entertainer passed away on Wednesday at a private hospital in Lagos after reportedly being sick for a long time.

Agboola built a strong reputation in Yoruba broadcasting and comedy.

Over the years, he became popular for programmes that mixed humour with storytelling while also promoting Yoruba culture and traditions.

Many listeners saw him as someone who loved his heritage and proudly represented Ijesa culture through his work.

Following the announcement of his death, many colleagues, friends and fans began sharing messages of condolence on social media.

One of his associates, Idris Shogbola, was among those who first shared the sad news online while mourning the loss of the veteran broadcaster.

“May the soul of our boss rest in peace. Pa Timothy Agboola ‘Ereke ni Shop’. Baba Oloye Repete… A broadcaster, actor, comedian. May God Almighty give you eternal rest in peace. Amen. Ereke ni Shop sun re o,” he wrote.

Agboola gained wide attention through his unique storytelling style and lively comedy.

His radio shows often combined humour with social observations about daily life, which made him popular among many Yoruba listeners.

During his long career in the entertainment industry, he worked with several well-known entertainers, including Baba Alajeju.

Some of his comedy performances date back to the 1970s when he was already becoming known for his lively stage presence.

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See also  Police disperse #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow protesters after regrouping in Abuja
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I Don’t Leave My House Without Going Through Newspapers – Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that he is always concerned about the welfare of the masses.

He disclosed that he reads about happenings in the country every morning before leaving home.

Tinubu stated this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said that he was a little bit stubborn at the beginning of his administration.

The president also stated that his administration has opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.

He said, “There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.

“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.

“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has stated that improving Nigeria is a collective responsibility.

He asserted that the country’s development cannot be the sole responsibility of the federal government and urged the media to hold states and local governments accountable.

The President stated this on Friday when he hosted media executives and proprietors at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu cited increased financial autonomy for the lower tiers of government and urged the media to extend the same level of scrutiny they apply to his government to the local and state administrations.

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“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands,” Tinubu said.

“So don’t bombard me alone; look at the local government too. Yes, we can complain it’s not enough; we can complain we are not where we should be. But we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress.

“Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay the salaries of employees,” he told the gathering.

“Yes, we can complain that it’s not enough. We can complain we are not where we should be, but we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” he added.

The ex-Lagos State governor reiterated his commitment to doing the job with dedication.

“And I promise you, the job that I continue to do is dedication, patriotic dedication to improve Nigeria. It’s all in our hands; it’s a collective responsibility,” he said.

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US Lawmaker, Moore Alleges American University Shooter Met ISIL In Nigeria

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United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has alleged that a shooter who attacked Old Dominion University in Virginia met with members of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Nigeria before carrying out the incident.

Moore made the allegation on his 𝕏 account on Saturday, in response to the attack.

It was understands that the attacker, Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guard member and convicted supporter of ISIS, entered a classroom filled with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) students and opened fire.

According to the FBI, the gunman shouted “Allahu Akbar”, Arabic for “God is greater”, before shooting at students inside Constant Hall.

The classroom quickly descended into chaos as terrified students scrambled for safety.

However, several ROTC students bravely confronted the gunman and ultimately subdued him, preventing what authorities believe could have been a far deadlier massacre.

Reacting to the development, the lawmaker claimed that the suspect was earlier imprisoned but was released before the attack despite alleged ties to the terrorist group.

“The radical Islamic terrorist who attacked Old Dominion yesterday was let out of prison early despite meeting with ISIL in Nigeria and seeking to aide and abet ISIL in carrying out an attack on our homeland,” Moore said.

The congressman criticised the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release, describing the development as alarming and unacceptable.

“This is insane, and it MUST END! That’s why I’m introducing a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who seeks to commit a terrorist attack or aids and abets terrorism against the American people,” he said.

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