Nigeria, Dec. 15 -- A foiled coup d'etat in Benin Republic on 7 December has re-ignited the growing concern about democratic retreat in West Africa. The country's president, Patrice Talon, survived by a whisker, following a swift military response from the presidential guard and Nigeria. Commendably, President Bola Tinubu acted expeditiously to ensure that its democracy was not subverted, and thereby add to the infamous list of nations where soldiers have successfully usurped power, in the last five years.

Acting on a distress call from Mr Talon, whose presidential mansion in Cotonou had been surrounded and assailed by a fusillade of bullets, Mr Tinubu dispatched Nigeria's fighter jets for aerial assault and troops for ground operations....