The Senate has granted approval for President Bola Tinubu’s request to send Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin as part of efforts to restore peace and stability following an attempted coup over the weekend.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the approval on Tuesday during plenary, after lawmakers reviewed the request in the Committee of the Whole in accordance with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution.
The motion received unanimous support from senators, providing full legislative backing for the regional security operation.
Akpabio described the decision as necessary, stressing that unrest in any neighbouring country poses risks to the entire region.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he said, emphasizing Nigeria’s duty to support its ECOWAS partners.
President Tinubu had earlier written to the Senate seeking consent for the deployment, noting Nigeria’s longstanding responsibility under ECOWAS security frameworks to assist Benin. He warned that the situation required swift intervention to prevent further escalation.
The attempted coup occurred on Sunday when a group of soldiers calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation appeared on national television claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon from office. Loyalist forces, however, quickly regained control.
In response to the failed takeover, ECOWAS announced the immediate deployment of its standby force.
According to the bloc, the force will comprise troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, and will support the Beninese government and military in safeguarding constitutional order and territorial integrity.
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