Senate Approves Immediate Deployment of Troops to Benin Republic

The Senate has given unanimous approval for the immediate deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin on a peace mission following a failed coup attempt and the resulting political instability in the country.

The decision came after President Bola Tinubu presented a formal request to the Senate in line with Section 5 (5), Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which authorizes him to consult the National Defence Council and seek Senate consent for troop deployment outside Nigeria.

The request was also prompted by an urgent appeal from the Government of Benin Republic for exceptional and immediate air support from the Nigerian Armed Forces to help contain the situation.

Reading the president’s letter during plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio noted that Benin’s government had reported a situation requiring swift external intervention. The letter also urged the Senate to consider the longstanding ties of brotherhood between both nations and the ECOWAS principle of collective security.

The Senate referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for instant deliberation, after which it granted approval through a voice vote conducted by the Senate President.

Meanwhile, several senators commended President Tinubu for his rapid response aimed at restoring democratic governance in the Republic of Benin.

Senator Seriake Dickson condemned the recurring coups in the West African subregion and urged President Tinubu to complement military intervention with diplomatic efforts. He called for the urgent convening of West African leaders to discuss strengthening democratic institutions and preventing further coup attempts in the region.