The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops and air support to the Republic of Benin to help safeguard the country’s democratic institutions after a recent attempted military coup.
The approval was granted on Tuesday during plenary, where senators, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, voted unanimously in favour of the request through a voice vote.
President Tinubu’s request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Senate and read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, the President explained that the intervention aligns with Section 5(4), Part II of the 1999 Constitution and follows consultations with the National Defence Council.
He further noted that the deployment is in response to a formal appeal from the Beninese government, which sought Nigeria’s assistance in restoring stability after the weekend coup attempt.
According to the President, the mission will focus on supporting Benin’s armed forces in protecting democratic structures and preventing further destabilisation in the region.
