The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to the Republic of Benin to help restore stability following last weekend’s attempted military coup. The approval was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary after reviewing the president’s letter, in line with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution. Lawmakers voted unanimously in favor of the deployment.
Akpabio emphasized that instability in a neighboring country could threaten regional security, stating, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” He added that Nigeria has a responsibility to support its neighbors under ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) frameworks. The Senate is expected to formally communicate its approval to the president immediately.
In his letter, Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s historic role in supporting Benin and described the situation as requiring urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration.
The attempted coup occurred on Sunday when a group of soldiers, calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” declared on national television that they had removed President Patrice Talon from office. The attempt was quickly contained by loyal military forces, who restored control over Cotonou and other areas.
Following the coup attempt, ECOWAS announced it would deploy a standby force, including troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, to support the Benin government and military in preserving constitutional order and national security.
