The Senate has given its approval for President Bola Tinubu’s request to send Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin as part of efforts to help restore calm and stability after last weekend’s attempted military takeover.
The endorsement was announced on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, following a review of the president’s letter in the Committee of the Whole, in accordance with Section 5, Part II of the Constitution, Channels reports.
Lawmakers voted unanimously to support the deployment, effectively granting parliamentary authorisation for the regional security mission.
Akpabio hailed the resolution as timely, stressing that unrest in any neighbouring country could easily destabilise the wider region.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he stated.
He added that Nigeria has an obligation to stand with its partners under the Economic Community of West African States framework.
The Senate is expected to immediately forward its formal approval to Tinubu.
Tinubu, in his letter to the upper chamber, had requested permission for the deployment, noting that Nigeria bears a historic responsibility to assist Benin under existing ECOWAS security arrangements.
He warned that the situation requires “urgent external intervention” to prevent further deterioration.
The attempted coup in Benin occurred on Sunday when a faction of soldiers identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” appeared on national television to declare that they had resolved that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.
The move was swiftly contained, as Benin’s loyal military forces pushed back and reclaimed control.
“The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure. It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well,” sources close to Talon said.
Following the failed takeover, ECOWAS announced plans to deploy its standby force.
“After consultation among members of the Mediation and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government, the Chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government has ordered the deployment of elements of the ECOWAS Standby Force to the Republic of Benin with immediate effect,” the bloc stated.
“The Regional Force shall be made up of troops from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and the Republic of Ghana.
“The Force shall support the Government and the Republican Army of Benin to preserve constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin”.
