Di koko resemble wetin don happen before when videos full social media last weekend wey show group of mid-ranking Beninese military officers for national television say dem don overthrow di elected government of President Patrice Talon.

But as everybody dey brace for wetin normally suppose follow, di story take unexpected turn.

Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, wey lead di coup attempt, plenty people expect say e go become Benin new strongman after one post for X make speculation start say sometin important dey brew for back scenes.

Without to mention Benin directly, President Emmanuel Macron of France write for him official X handle say e don talk with him Nigerian counterpart Bola Ahmed Tinubu about security challenges for dat country, especially di terrorist threat for di north.

'I conveyed France's solidarity (with Nigeria) in the face of the various security challenges,' Macron wrote. 'At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities, and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement. No one can remain a spectator.'

Almost immediately, people across di region read dis as tacit nudge for Nigeria to intervene for Benin.

Dem assumptions get backup from maps wey dey track aircraft movement wey show two Nigerian fighter jets returning to base after reports of explosions for Cotonou, di capital city of Benin.

President Tinubu soon confirm say Nigeria don intervene to quell di putsch for Benin. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga talk say Nigeria act based on two separate requests from President Talon.

'Today, the Nigerian armed forces stood gallantly as a defender and protector of constitutional order in the Republic of Benin on the invitation of the government,' Tinubu said in a statement.

'Our armed forces acted within the ambit of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. They have helped stabilise a neighbouring country and have made us proud of their commitment to sustaining our democratic values and ideals since 1999. Nigeria stands firmly with the government and people of the Republic of Benin.'

Di connection with France

So, na everything sweeting out abi na say Nigeria hand dey curb di turbulence for Benin before palava really blow? Not quite.

Di underlying message for Macron post just before Nigeria move against di coup brains trust for Benin make many people dey question why France suppose get anything to do with whether di Nigerian military need to act or not.

But Dr Aminu Hayatu of Bayero University Kano believe say e no correct to dey speculate about such link, and he argue say no evidence show di French explicitly ask Nigeria to intervene for Benin.

'I think that even if there is a great deal of diplomatic cooperation and involvement with France, the French President doesn't have to give a directive to the Nigerian President for him to be able to intervene,' he tells TRT Afrika. 'The official word is that the intervention was in response to a request from the President of Benin.'

Even if to link Macron tweet with Nigeria intervention fit look like stretch, di reality be say France dey struggle with worsening perception of domination and exploitation among im former colonies for di region.

Plenty of dem, in fact, dey blame France for their problems. Dis matter don already make Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali expel French troops from their territories.

Wetin good and wetin no good

Like every decision like dis, Nigeria intervention to end di putsch for Benin get implications wey pass just to put out one fire wey fit burn di region.

'Nigeria is repositioning itself and showing evidence of its capacity to serve as a regional power in Africa and signal to countries outside the continent that it has the wherewithal to protect itself from external aggression, including by the US,' Dr Hayatu tells TRT Afrika.

On di other hand, dis advantage na wetin dey bring criticism about how Nigeria dey handle domestic security challenges. Critics of Nigeria intervention for Benin dey wonder why country wey dey struggle to contain over decade-long insurgency go dey rapidly deploy soldiers to foreign countries and finish work quick quick.

'I see this as a disadvantage. It will send across the wrong message that Nigeria is compromising internally and has a lot of issues within its own borders to deal with, but has chosen to avoid the substance,' says Dr Hayatu.

Those wey support Nigerian government decision to intervene for Benin insist say difference dey between di putschists and di terrorists and bandits wey dey wreak havoc for Nigeria.

Dem argue say di military leaders behind di coup dey confined to barracks wey fit be targeted with precision airstrikes, while terrorists and bandits for Nigeria na highly mobile guerrilla fighters wey dey hide for ungoverned spaces and blend into civilian populations.

Dem add say while small bombs fit take out di coup plotters, to get to terrorists and bandits for Nigeria you go need many weapons and cover vast areas.

To secure di region

Another reason dem dey give to justify Nigeria action for Benin, wey be western neighbour, na to prevent di chaos and arms proliferation wey one military coup fit cause.

Cotonou dey about 128 km from Lagos, Nigeria commercial hub. Any instability for Benin no go only affect Nigeria but go also touch di country's commercial capital and economy.

But for Nigerians wey dey caught inside cycle of internal security challenges, dis justification go sound correct only when dem begin feel safe enough for their own country.