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Senate gives unanimous approval for Tinubu’s troop deployment to Benin after coup attempt.
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Lawmakers warn that Benin instability threatens regional security under rising West African coups.
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Approval clears way for Nigeria’s participation in an ECOWAS security intervention
The Senate on Tuesday approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin following an attempted coup in the neighbouring country.
The decision came after a session of the Committee of the Whole, where lawmakers considered the request in line with Section 5, Part II of the 1999 Constitution.
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Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who announced the resolution during plenary, said the approval was unanimous, describing the deployment as a strategic step to prevent the spread of political unrest across West Africa.
He noted that instability in any neighbouring state carries direct implications for regional peace and Nigeria’s national security.
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Akpabio stressed that Nigeria has an obligation to support its ECOWAS partners, especially at a time the region is facing a resurgence of coups.
The attempted overthrow of President Patrice Talon adds to recent upheavals in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, while Niger and Burkina Faso remain under military rule.
Lawmakers argued that rapid intervention is necessary to protect democratic governance and prevent further destabilisation.
With the Senate’s approval, an official consent letter will be transmitted to President Tinubu, giving him the legislative backing required to proceed with the deployment as part of an ECOWAS-coordinated response.
