President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for combat operations, following recent instability in the neighbouring West African country.
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The request was conveyed in a formal letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary. Tinubu said the decision was informed by a peace-keeping obligation and the need to support a regional ally in distress.
According to the president, the move is backed by Section 5(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers Nigeria to assist friendly states when necessary. He explained that the request from Benin came at a critical moment, highlighting the longstanding ties of cooperation and brotherhood between both nations.
The development comes after a faction of soldiers in Benin, identified as the Military Committee for Refoundation and led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, briefly took over the state television station in Cotonou on Sunday and announced the ousting of President Patrice Talon.
The attempted coup was foiled following intervention by Nigerian fighter jets and ground forces acting on Tinubu’s prior directive, restoring calm hours after the broadcast.
