The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin on a peacekeeping mission, following reports of an attempted coup in the neighbouring country.
The approval was granted on Tuesday after a formal letter from the President was read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Lawmakers gave their consent in line with constitutional provisions requiring legislative approval for the deployment of Nigerian armed forces outside the country.
President Tinubu, in his request, explained that the deployment became necessary after Benin authorities sought Nigeria’s military assistance to help stabilize the country and protect democratic institutions following a failed coup attempt. He noted that unrest in Benin posed potential security risks to Nigeria, given the long and porous border shared by both countries.
According to government officials, Nigerian military assets had earlier been deployed to assist Benin at its request to counter the mutiny and secure critical national infrastructure. The Senate’s approval was therefore aimed at providing constitutional backing for the ongoing operation, now formally described as a peacekeeping and stabilization mission.
Lawmakers backing the motion cited the need to prevent a spillover of insecurity into Nigeria, including the possible influx of refugees, cross-border crime, and the spread of unconstitutional changes of government in West Africa. They also referenced Nigeria’s long-standing role in regional peacekeeping and its commitments under bilateral and regional security arrangements.
However, some commentators have raised concerns about the speed of the approval process and the implication that troops were deployed before legislative consent, reigniting debates over civil-military oversight and constitutional procedure.
The Presidency has maintained that Nigeria’s involvement is strictly time-bound, lawful, and based on an invitation from the Beninese government, stressing that the mission is not an act of aggression but a move to safeguard regional stability and democratic governance.
Nigeria has historically played a leading role in peacekeeping across West Africa, notably under ECOWAS missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. The Benin deployment further underscores Abuja’s determination to check the growing trend of coups in the sub-region and assert its influence as a regional security stabilizer.
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