Tinubu Seeks Senate Approval to Deploy Troops to Benin

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the deployment of Nigerian troops to Benin Republic, following an attempted coup against President Patrice Talon.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written to the Nigerian Senate requesting approval for the deployment of Nigerian troops to Benin Republic, after armed men launched an attack on the residence of President Patrice Talon on Sunday.

The letter, read during Tuesday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeks the legislature’s consent for a peacekeeping operation aimed at stabilising Benin after the attempted coup.

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Tinubu explained that the move is part of Nigeria’s responsibility to defend democratic governance in West Africa and to respond to an appeal for assistance from Benin. He highlighted that the intervention is consistent with regional security commitments.

Reports suggest that the Nigerian Air Force had already carried out a joint operation with Beninese authorities to help contain the uprising. The president is now seeking parliamentary backing for a wider mission that may include ground forces.

Under Section 5 (5), Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), external military deployments require Senate approval. Lawmakers are expected to debate the request in the coming days, weighing constitutional procedure against Nigeria’s role in regional security.

The attempted coup in Benin adds to a growing list of military takeovers in West Africa, including Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Tinubu emphasised that Nigeria must act quickly to help restore calm in Benin and prevent further instability in the region.