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.

THE Senate has quickly approved President Bola Tinubu’s request for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for a peace mission.

President Tinubu made the request today in a letter to the Senate, titled, ‘Deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for peace mission,’ seeking their approval for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for the purpose of peacekeeping in the aftermath of a coup.

After the request was read during the plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, moved that the Senate should discuss the letter.

The request for consent was committed to the Committee of the Whole for immediate action.

Consequently, the lawmakers expeditiously approve the request, considering the close ties of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.

President Tinubu cited Section 5, Subsection 5, Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), following consultations with the National Defence Council.

In the letter, the appeal follows an urgent request from the Government of the Republic of Benin for exceptional and immediate air support from the Nigerian Armed Forces.

President Tinubu explains that Benin is currently facing an attempted unconstitutional seizure of power, leading to the disruption and destabilization of its democratic institutions.

He notes that the situation requires swift external intervention.

He emphasizes that, given the close ties of brotherhood between both nations and the principles of collective security under ECOWAS, Nigeria has a duty to provide the necessary support..

The Government of Burkina Faso said a Nigerian Air Force aircraft carrying 11 soldiers was forced to land in the country on Monday after reportedly violating its airspace.

The development was reported by the Agence d’Information du Burkina, the state-run news agency, which published a statement from the Confederation of Sahel States.

The statement, translated from French, read, “The Confederation of Sahel States informs the public that a C130 aircraft belonging to the Air Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was forced to land today, December 8, 2025, in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, following an in-flight emergency while operating in Burkinabe airspace.

The military aircraft had two (2) crew members and nine (9) passengers on board, all military personnel.

”The statement added that an investigation by Burkinabe authorities “highlighted the absence of authorisation to fly over the territory of Burkina Faso for this military device.”

The AES condemned the incident as a violation of sovereignty, saying it “condemns with the utmost firmness this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member States.”

The body warned that “air and anti-aircraft defences of the Confederate space put on maximum alert…were authorised to neutralise any aircraft that would violate the Confederate space.”