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BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Approves President Tinubu’s Request for Military Deployment to Benin Republic
The Nigerian Senate has swiftly approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to the Republic of Benin on a peacekeeping mission, aimed at restoring stability following a foiled coup attempt in the neighboring country.
The decision was announced during Tuesday’s plenary session after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Tinubu’s formal letter, which invoked Section 5(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and consultations with the National Defence Council.
The chamber immediately resolved into a Committee of the Whole for deliberations, leading to a unanimous vote of approval with lawmakers responding “aye.”
In the letter, titled “Deployment of Nigerian Troops to the Republic of Benin for Peace Mission,” Tinubu highlighted the urgent need for intervention amid an “attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and disruption and destabilisation of democratic institutions” in Benin.
He emphasized Nigeria’s historical ties of brotherhood with Benin and its obligations under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to promote collective security.
The move follows a dramatic coup bid on Sunday, when rogue soldiers briefly seized a television station in Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital, declaring President Patrice Talon removed from office.
The plotters, styling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” were quickly repelled by loyal forces, with several arrests made. Nigeria had already provided emergency support, including fighter jets, at Benin’s request to thwart the incursion.
ECOWAS has since ordered the deployment of its Standby Force, comprising troops from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, to bolster regional stability.
Tinubu’s request aligns with this framework, underscoring the potential risks to Nigeria, including refugee influxes across shared borders and heightened criminality if instability persists.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved for urgent consideration, while Akpabio praised the president’s adherence to constitutional protocols.
“Injury to one is injury to all,” Akpabio stated, noting the mission’s role in safeguarding democracy and preventing broader threats to Nigeria’s borders. A formal letter of consent will be transmitted to Tinubu immediately, clearing the path for full operational deployment.
The approval comes amid a wave of instability in West Africa, with recent coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Bissau raising alarms about democratic backsliding in the region. Analysts view Nigeria’s involvement as a critical test of Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS, where he serves as chairman.
Reactions from opposition lawmakers were muted during the session, with the focus on swift action to avert escalation. Defence Headquarters is expected to outline operational details soon, as Nigerian forces prepare to join the multinational effort.
News
UK court jails Nigerian man for masturbating in front of a woman
British Transport Police said Odutola approached a woman on the train, looked her up and down and became aggressive when she refused to engage with him. He then exposed himself while sitting in a wheelchair and began masturbating while staring at the woman and telling her to “come over”
•A Nigerian man and registered sex offender, Babatunde Odutola
A Nigerian man and registered sex offender, Babatunde Odutola has been jailed in the UK after exposing himself and masturbating in front of a woman on a train travelling towards Manchester.
Odutola, 36, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 14, after pleading guilty to outraging public decency and breaching a suspended sentence order.
The incident occurred around 7pm on Friday, September 11, on a train travelling through Cheshire towards Manchester Piccadilly railway station.
British Transport Police said Odutola approached a woman on the train, looked her up and down and became aggressive when she refused to engage with him. He then exposed himself while sitting in a wheelchair and began masturbating while staring at the woman and telling her to “come over”.
A fellow passenger intervened and escorted the distressed woman from the carriage.
According to police, CCTV footage showed Odutola continued masturbating as other passengers walked through the carriage.
British Transport Police officers arrested him after the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly. He was subsequently prosecuted and jailed within 72 hours of the incident
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Digital Economy Minister Says NDPC Now Properly Functional With New HQ
” An asset recovered on behalf of the Nigerian people has now been returned to productive use for the Nigerian people. That is reform made tangible,” he said .
Abuja| NDPC new headquarters commission , Tuesday, 15 September,2026.
An EFCC-recovered property allocated to the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, has been transformed to the new headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in Abuja, as its headquarters.
Speaking during the commissioned ceremony of the building, the Honourable Minister incharge of the ministry, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, described the facility as a tangible demonstration of the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his commitment to building strong institutions that can support Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
The Minister emphasised that said the occasion represented more than the opening of a new office, but a reflection of the administration’s commitment to strengthening the institutions required to protect Nigerians and build trust in the country’s digital economy.
Dr. Tijani said, “Shortly after assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu signed the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law, giving the NDPC the appropriate legal foundation and authority to protect the data and privacy rights of Nigerians.
The President also directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to comply with established data protection laws and frameworks, demonstrating that government must lead by example in upholding the standards it expects from citizens and businesses.”
He added, “In the early days of the Commission, it was difficult to ask an institution to protect the data of over 200 million Nigerians and support one of Africa’s largest digital economies without the institutional resources to do so.
President Tinubu recognised this challenge and moved to solve it, approving the resources required for the NDPC to become properly operational and functional, while building towards becoming a sustainable institution in its own right.
He also directed that an EFCC-recovered property be allocated to the Commission as its headquarters.
“An asset recovered on behalf of the Nigerian people has now been returned to productive use for the Nigerian people. That is reform made tangible,” he said .
News
Boko Haram Denies Ceasefire with FG, Vows Continued Attacks
Boko Haram has strongly denied reports of a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government and insisted that it will continue its campaign of attacks.
In a statement released by the group, the militants dismissed claims of any truce or negotiated pause in hostilities, describing such reports as false and misleading.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing operations against government forces and other targets, vowing that its attacks will persist without interruption.
The denial comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity in the northeast and other affected regions, where the group has maintained a long-standing insurgency.
Security sources note that the latest statement appears aimed at clarifying the group’s position and rejecting any suggestion of dialogue or de-escalation with the authorities.
Military and government officials have not issued an immediate detailed response to the claim, though security operations against the militants remain active. Authorities continue to urge vigilance as the group signals its intention to sustain violence.
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