In Benin, the Chief of Staff, General Fructueux Gbaguidi, has urged for joint military actions against terrorism following a deadly attack by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) in the north.

The January 9 attack on an army base near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger claimed the lives of around 30 soldiers, sparking calls for heightened sub-regional cooperation despite diplomatic tensions between Benin and Niger.

Niamey accuses Cotonou of colluding with France to destabilize its transitional government. However, investigative journalist Loukmane Orou Tcheou emphasizes that collaboration between Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger is crucial to combating terrorism effectively.