ABUJA: President Bola Tinubu has formally asked the Senate to approve the deployment of Nigerian troops to the neighbouring Republic of Benin as part of a peace-support mission following an attempted coup against President Patrice Talon.
The request comes barely two days after suspected rogue soldiers briefly took control of a television station in Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital, before they were overpowered by loyal government forces.
The president’s request was conveyed in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary session, as broadcast live on National Assembly Television.
Reading the letter, Akpabio explained that the proposed deployment is aimed at stabilising the situation in Benin amid threats to its democratic institutions.
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In the letter, Tinubu stated that pursuant to Section 5, Subsection 5, Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and following consultations with the National Defence Council, he was seeking the Senate’s consent to deploy Nigerian troops to Benin.
He explained that the request followed a formal appeal from the Beninese government for urgent and exceptional military assistance, including air support, to address the attempted unconstitutional seizure of power.
According to the president, the government of Benin is currently confronted with efforts to destabilise its democratic institutions, a situation that, he said, requires immediate external intervention.
Tinubu noted the longstanding ties of brotherhood and friendship between Nigeria and Benin, as well as the principle of collective security enshrined within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
It is our duty to provide the support requested by the Government of the Republic of Benin, the president said, expressing hope that the Senate would consider and approve the request expeditiously.
It remains unclear whether the approval being sought is for a fresh deployment or for troops already ordered into action.
Recall that President Tinubu had earlier announced on Sunday that he authorised the Nigerian Armed Forces to assist Benin in restoring constitutional order.
He stated on X that Nigerian forces acted at the invitation of the Beninese government and within the framework of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
Amid debates over Nigeria’s involvement, the President’s Special Adviser on social media, Dada Olusegun, defended the intervention, describing it as a response to legitimate diplomatic requests from Benin.
According to Olusegun, Nigeria first received a Note Verbale from Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting urgent assistance as the coup unfolded, followed by another request seeking the deployment of Nigerian air and ground forces.
He said Nigerian fighter jets swiftly secured Benin’s airspace and helped flush out the coup plotters from strategic locations, including the national television station and a military camp where they had regrouped.
Olusegun disclosed that at least 14 suspects were arrested while others fled, adding that President Talon later addressed the nation to confirm that the coup attempt had been successfully foiled.
He warned that instability in Benin could have grave implications for Nigeria due to their shared borders and close economic ties, noting that a successful coup could have severely disrupted trade between both countries.
