Nigeria’s Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to the Republic of Benin to help restore order following last weekend’s attempted military takeover.
The endorsement was announced on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, after lawmakers reviewed the president’s letter in the Committee of the Whole in line with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution.
Senators voted unanimously in favour, granting the president the required parliamentary authorisation for Nigeria’s participation in the regional security mission. Akpabio described the resolution as both timely and necessary, noting that instability in any neighbouring country poses a threat to regional peace.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he said, emphasising Nigeria’s responsibility under ECOWAS protocols to support Benin’s democratic order.
In his request to the Senate, Tinubu stressed that Nigeria bears a historic duty to assist its neighbour under existing ECOWAS security arrangements. He warned that the situation demanded urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration.
The attempted coup in Benin unfolded on Sunday when soldiers claiming to be the “Military Committee for Refoundation” appeared on national television to announce they had removed President Patrice Talon from office. Loyalist forces, however, quickly moved to suppress the rebellion and restore control in Cotonou.
Sources close to President Talon later confirmed that the situation was stabilising, with the regular army fully in charge and security being restored nationwide.
Following the failed coup, ECOWAS ordered the immediate deployment of its standby force. The regional contingent will include troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
According to the bloc, the mission is mandated to support Benin’s government and armed forces in safeguarding constitutional order and protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
The Senate is expected to formally communicate its approval to President Tinubu without delay.
