Senate Gives Expeditious Approval to Tinubu’s Request to Deploy Nigerian Troops and Air Assets to Benin Republic Following Foiled Coup

In a swift legislative response to the regional security challenge posed by the recent military coup attempt in a neighboring state, the Nigerian Senate today, Tuesday, December 9, 2025, granted expeditious approval to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops and air assets to the Republic of Benin. The unanimous decision provides the required constitutional backing for the military intervention aimed at restoring democratic order.

The approval followed the reading of a formal letter from the President on the floor of the Senate by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. In the letter, President Tinubu cited Section 5(5), Part 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), confirming that the request was made after consulting with the National Defence Council and was predicated on a formal request from the Benin government for “exceptional and immediate air support.”

President Tinubu warned the lawmakers that Benin Republic faced an “attempted unconstitutional seizure of power” and the “disruption and destabilisation of democratic institutions,” stressing that the situation demanded urgent external intervention. The request emphasized the necessity of upholding ECOWAS principles of collective security and Nigeria’s duty to protect its own borders from the resultant instability and potential refugee crisis.

The Senate President, Akpabio, committed the urgent request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration. Following an overwhelmingly affirmative vote, Akpabio stated that the deployment was essential not just for Benin, but for Nigeria’s security. “We are also saving Nigerians from thousands of refugees and preventing criminality and instability along our border,” he said, concluding that the President acted in the right direction.