During its nth press briefing on Friday, July 21, 2023, the spokesperson for the Beninese government, Wilfried Léandre Houngbedji, addressed the security situation marked by terrorist attacks in the north of Benin. In a position of absolute confidence, the government spokesperson reassured that the Beninese state is constantly vigilant and ensures that there are no more terrorist attacks across the entire national territory.
Over the past several months, Benin has intensified its fight against terrorism, particularly in its northern region, where several deadly attacks have been recorded. The actions taken by the government in this context have proven to be increasingly effective, as the frequency of terrorist attacks has significantly decreased.
According to the government spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbedji, the Beninese defense and security forces are mobilized at various levels, and the Beninese authorities are diligently ensuring that there are no more terrorist attacks in Benin.
“The state is present, the state responds, the defense and security forces are courageously mobilized and know that the state is standing by their side. Additionally, with the cooperation of neighboring countries, whose authorities also increasingly understand that we have an interest in pooling our resources to tackle this phenomenon, the Beninese government is convinced that we will overcome this issue,” stated the Beninese government spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbedji, on Friday.
He continued, “Today, the situation is better. For some time now, you have not heard of any successful attempts by these criminals to attack our territory. We are vigilant and making sure there are none.”
Elaborating on the actions the Beninese government is taking to effectively address terrorism, Wilfried emphasized that if there were to be any new attack, the state has made sure that the perpetrators will encounter an appropriate response on the spot to defeat them.
“Because we value the lives of every Beninese citizen, the President of the Republic requests that the necessary means be substantially provided to the defense and security forces so that they are in the best possible conditions to tackle this phenomenon,” he insisted, assuring that the situation is under control.
In April, Beninese authorities stated that they had recorded around twenty armed group incursions into the territory since 2021. Discussions are also underway to involve Rwanda’s expertise in the fight against terrorism on Benin’s borders.
