President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Nigerian Senate’s consent for the deployment of Nigerian military forces to the Republic of Benin.
The request was conveyed in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session on Tuesday. In the letter, President Tinubu cited his constitutional authority, stating:
“Pursuant to Section 5, Subsection 5, Part 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I seek, in further consultation with the National Defence Council, the consent of the senate, for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin.”
The President’s action follows an urgent appeal from the Beninese government for “the exceptional and immediate provision of air support by the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Tinubu informed the Senate that the government of Benin Republic is currently dealing with “an attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and disruption and destabilization of democratic institutions.”
He emphasised that the crisis “requires urgent external intervention.”
Justifying the need for Nigerian involvement, President Tinubu underscored the strong bilateral relationship and adherence to regional security principles:
“Considering the close ties of brotherhood and friendship which exists between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, as well as the principles of collective security upheld within ECOWAS, it is our duty to provide the support as requested by the government.”
The Senate President subsequently referred the letter to the committee of the whole for “immediate action.”
Background
The plea for intervention comes after a brief period of political turmoil in Benin.
On December 7, a group of military officers announced they had overthrown the government. However, the Beninese Presidency later stated that the coup attempt had been “quashed” and confirmed that President Patrice Talon was secure.
