Nigeria’s Senate has granted swift approval to President Bola Tinubu’s urgent request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin, bolstering regional efforts to restore peace and democratic stability in the wake of a foiled coup attempt last weekend. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the unanimous decision during Tuesday’s plenary session, following deliberations in the Committee of the Whole under Section 5, Part II of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The move underscores Nigeria’s pivotal role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) framework, as the regional bloc responds to escalating political instability marked by recent coups and mutinies across West Africa.
In his formal letter to the Senate, read by Akpabio, President Tinubu invoked Section 5(5), Part 2 of the Constitution, explaining that the deployment follows consultations with the National Defence Council and a direct plea from Benin to safeguard its democratic institutions.
Tinubu emphasized the need for “urgent external intervention” to prevent further deterioration, noting Nigeria’s historic responsibility under ECOWAS security arrangements.
The letter, titled “Deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for a peace mission,” highlights the troops’ role in reinstating constitutional governance after Benin’s military unrest.
Akpabio framed the approval as a vital regional imperative, declaring, “An injury to one is an injury to all,” and stressing Nigeria’s duty to support ECOWAS partners against threats that could destabilize the wider sub-region.
Lawmakers voted without dissent, immediately paving the way for transmission of the Senate’s consent letter to Tinubu, enabling the prompt mobilization of Nigerian forces alongside contingents from Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana as part of the ECOWAS Standby Force.
ECOWAS had earlier declared a state of emergency, ordering the multinational deployment “with immediate effect” to counter the coup crisis.
This development follows Tinubu’s initial dispatch of Nigerian Armed Forces personnel on Sunday to assist Benin, now formalized through parliamentary backing amid heightened concerns over democratic backsliding in the neighborhood.
The Senate’s resolution reflects a consensus on prioritizing collective security, with Akpabio hailing it as a “critical move” to avert broader instability. As the troops prepare for action, observers note the deployment’s potential to reinforce ECOWAS authority in a region plagued by successive power grabs.
